OPINION:
Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders may be swept by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the five primaries held in the Northeast Tuesday, however, he’s won the hearts and minds of the youth, according to new polling.
Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 find Mr. Sanders is the most popular presidential candidate among younger voters, with their attitudes becoming increasingly liberal in the past year, according to a Harvard University study released Monday. Among millennials, 33 percent say they support socialism.
Mr. Sanders has won the youth vote resoundingly in the 2016 contest, consistently beating Mrs. Clinton in the demographic even in contests that she’s won, like New York. Mrs. Clinton is depending on the baby boomer and minority vote to propel her to the Democratic nomination, but Mr. Sanders’ sway on the youth will likely have profound changes on the Democratic Party moving forward.
“Millennials care deeply about their futures, and in this election cycle, they are laser-focused on issues like access to educational opportunity, women’s equality and the economy,” said Harvard Institute of Politics Director Maggie Williams. “This survey reflects their passion, their worries and most importantly, a growing awareness that their voices have power.”
Mr. Sanders needs 59 percent of the remaining pledged delegates to defeat Mrs. Clinton — a very narrow if nonexistent path, especially given the majority of superdelegates have swung their support behind Mrs. Clinton.
Mrs. Clinton is expected to sweep the so-called Acela corridor on Tuesday, building her delegate count in races held in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
However, Mr. Sanders’ campaign has pledged to stay in the race until at least June 7, when the last primaries are held, and pursue the nomination through July’s convention. Mr. Sanders is looking to have sway over the party’s platform, bringing the Democratic Party further left.
With the youth, his message is resonating.
Forty-eight percent of millennials agreed that “basic health insurance is a right for all people,” compared to 42 percent who said the same in 2014, according to Harvard’s polling.
The percentage who felt that “basic necessities, such as food and shelter, are a right that government should provide to those unable to afford them” rose 4 percentage points from 43 percent last year to 47 in 2016. The share who agreed that “The government should spend more to reduce poverty” increased from 40 percent to 45 percent.
Among those most likely to vote, 41 percent support socialism and with 52 percent supporting capitalism. Socialism is typically more supported by 18- to 20-year-olds, the poll found.
The poll isn’t good news for Republicans, who seem to be losing the battle in terms of ideological messaging. In the past year, 18- to 29-year-olds’ net preference nearly doubled for Democrats to maintain control of White House, with more than three in five saying they’d to see a Democrat as president.
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