United States | The enthusiasm gap

Young voters strongly favour Joe Biden, but will they turn out?

After a pummelling from campus protesters over Gaza, the president is struggling to get his message across

Students vote in the Midterm elections in Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Photograph: Getty Images
|ANN ARBOR

Fretting about the youth vote is a Democratic pastime. This year, there are obvious causes. At the top of the ticket, 81-year-old Joe Biden struggles to convey the vitality that his 78-year-old opponent musters. Student protesters chanting “Genocide Joe” blame Mr Biden for civilian suffering in Gaza. On TikTok, young leftist influencers attract millions of views for videos urging voters to reject him.

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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “But will they turn out?”

From the June 29th 2024 edition

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