With the Presidential race tightening, Senator Barack Obama’s support among young people remains stable and convincing, at 57 percent, compared to 29 percent for Senator John McCain. In a new report in the Youth for the Win series, Democracy Corps and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner provide analysis on the importance of major issues like the economy, Iraq, and health care to young voters, and find them defying the stereotype of a cynical generation — so long as Barack Obama wins.
At a time of tightening national surveys, Barack Obama’s support among young people is stable and convincing (currently 57 – 29 percent Obama). This stability rests in part on the strong belief among young people that Barack Obama can change things in this country. In a remarkable set of questions, we asked young people to rate the importance of changing issues like the economy, Iraq and health care, and then asked how likely these issues will change if Obama is elected and how likely these issues will change if McCain is elected. Impressive majorities of young people defy the cynical stereotypes of this generation and predict major changes on the economy, on Iraq, on health care, on energy, even gas prices. The necessary antecedent for these changes is the election of Barack Obama. Young people do not believe John McCain can bring about change.
