Young Voters Remain Divided on Biden’s Response to Israel-Hamas Conflict
In the wake of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, young voters in the United States are showing a mix of opinions on President Joe Biden’s handling of the situation. While some progressive activists have argued that Biden risks losing support from young voters due to his response to the conflict, recent polls paint a more nuanced picture.
A survey conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics revealed that voters between the ages of 18 to 29 support a ceasefire in Gaza by a margin of five to one. However, when it comes to whether Israel’s response to the October 7 attack was justified, opinions are more divided. 45% of young voters said they did not know, while 32% said it was not justified and 21% said it was justified.
Despite widespread disapproval of Biden’s policies related to the war, polls show that other domestic issues like inflation, healthcare, and housing are more important to young voters. In fact, only 34% of young voters ranked “Israel/Palestine” as “very important” in the upcoming election.
While some polls suggest that Biden’s handling of the conflict could impact his support among young voters, others show that those who want Biden to tell Israel to stop military action in Gaza still plan to vote for him. Ultimately, it seems that many younger voters are finding ways to express dissatisfaction with Biden’s response to the conflict, but are still planning to support him in the upcoming election.
As the 2024 election approaches, it appears that Biden’s biggest challenge may be convincing voters that their lives have improved under his administration. Like every election, the economy is likely to play a significant role in shaping voters’ opinions and determining the outcome of the election.