New data from a Harvard survey shows that Obama is gradually falling out of favor with 18-29 year-olds. According to the survey, 49 percent of ?millennials? approve of the job the president is doing, while 11 months ago, 56 percent approved. The survey shows similarly declining numbers for Democrats in Congress (48 percent then to 39 percent now), but indicates that millennials still support a Democrat-controlled Congress 53 to 42.
Taken at face value, these numbers are nothing special. It is not news that people generally become disenchanted with a political cause not long after it succeeds, and young people are not known for expressing satisfaction with government in any form.
Some interesting dynamics are at play in Ohio, however, as a recent Rock the Vote survey shows. After winning the votes of Ohio's 18-29 year-olds by 25 points in 2008, Obama seems to be remaining in the good graces of Ohio's young people: 51 percent of them gave him a ?favorable? rating while 39 percent chose ?unfavorable?. When those numbers were further broken down by more probing questions, however, the survey found that only 27 percent were satisfied with the President's accomplishments to date, while 39 percent were disappointed. As we approach the midterm election, endorsements become increasingly important, and it is surprising that 47 percent of 18-29 year-olds in Ohio say they would be ?less likely? (as opposed to ?more likely?) to vote for an Obama-endorsed candidate.
The survey also reflects a highly uncertain climate among Ohio's young voters: 44 percent of them ?can't rate? the Tea Party, 34 percent say the same of Obama's accomplishments, and 26 say it of the US Congress in general.
Interestingly, a separate survey conducted by the University of Cincinnati finds that when it comes to Ohio politics, millennials favor Republicans over Democrats. Fifty-two percent of 18-29 year-olds interviewed said they'd be voting for challenger John Kasich, with only 44 percent for incumbent Strickland. Numbers are similar for the Portman-Fisher race: 52 and 43, respectively.
Surprisingly, the Rock the Vote survey finds that only 24 percent of Ohio's young voters call themselves Republicans, while 53 percent call themselves Democrats or Democrat-leaning Independents. And millennials would prefer a Democrat-run US Congress to a Republican one by a 3:2 ratio.
Clearly, Ohio's young voters see a disconnect between national and state-level politics. Although they have substantial faith in the Democratic Party at a national level, they are skeptical of local Democratic candidates, even those endorsed by Obama himself.
- Nick Joch -Fordham Policy & Research Intern