The NBC News story highlighted the angst felt by voters ages 18-34 for President Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Seventy percent disapprove, the poll says.
But that likely isn't the real reason Biden's numbers are sagging with a demographic he dominated in 2020, a Family Research Council expert said on Washington Watch Wednesday.
"This is within the poll's margin of error of six points, but still, that's a 20-point swing among voters who are trying to get a foothold to start their lives. They're trying to start families; they're trying to buy houses. I think they're looking around at the options available to them, and they're souring on the Biden administration," Matt Carpenter, the FRC Action director, told show host Tony Perkins.
The same poll said that right now Trump – who continues to dominate GOP primary polling – leads Biden 46%-44% in a hypothetical rematch. In September, the two were tied at 46 after Biden led 49-45.
A lot can change, Democratic pollster reminds
Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt reminded NBC News that a lot can happen between now and an election still 11 months away. He said Biden's popularity is at a "uniquely low point" mostly because of foreign policy decisions. He pointed to the "proven track record" of young voters favoring Democrats.
"Jury verdicts in Trump's trials, unforeseen events both foreign and domestic, and the rigors of a campaign all have a funny way of upending what may be true today," Horwitt observed.
Biden's overall 40% approval rating is only slightly lower than his 41% score in September. Yet the shift with young voters is significant. Voters 18-34 gave Biden a 46% approval rating in September. Now it's at 31%.
Carpenter thinks the economy is the driving factor.
"Housing – you look at mortgage rates, they're on the rise; you look at inflation, I think it's 18%," he stated. "But across the board, some of these basic economic benchmarks that young people are hoping to do … they're hoping to get out there, to start a family, hoping to get married, to buy a home and get a good-paying job, and this is just becoming harder and harder for them."
