Vice President Kamala HarrisHopes of increasing the margins of young voters in the 2024 elections have not been realized, according to the exit poll.

Donald Trump’s victory over Harris This was partly due to Trump making significant gains and making headway in 2020 numbers across a number of voter blocs, including Gen Z voters (ages 18 to 27) and first-time voters.

Voters under 30 generally vote in smaller numbers than other age groups and have historically favored Democratic candidates. This year’s exit poll results show this voting bloc does not have the same support Democrats Just like in previous elections.

Preliminary data Associated Press‘ VoteCast poll, The research, based on more than 120,000 voters, showed that nearly half of voters under 30 support Harris in the 2024 election. Joe Biden By comparison, more than 40 percent of young voters supported Trump this year; this rate was one third in 2020.

news week He has reached out to the Trump and Harris campaigns for comment.

It was stated that Trump made similar progress among young voters. CNN2024 vote out There are more than 22,000 voters. In the last election, Biden beat Trump by 23 points in this demographic group. This year, Harris’ lead over Trump among 18- to 29-year-olds was 13 points; this represented a 10-point decline in the key demographic group.

The numbers do not reflect the enthusiasm and expectation among Harris and other Democrats that young voters will carry Harris to victory.

“We’re seeing young people across the country showing up in droves, forming long lines at college campuses in battleground states,” said Justin Meszler, director of programming for the Voters of Tomorrow campaign group. Top on Tuesday. “While no one needs to wait hours to vote, these lines signal something we have known for months: Generation Z will elect and defeat Kamala Harris.” Donald Trump Today.”

Young voters are also more likely to be first-time voters, and Harris appealed directly to this group. campaign advertisement It was published on Tuesday.

The ad featured Harris watching video messages from first-time voters on her cell phone and encouraging others to go to the polls on Election Day.

“I love Gen Z,” Harris said. “Thank you all for voting. You know your power, your power through your voice, through your vote.

“For those of you who haven’t voted yet, I’m telling you that you’re going to enjoy the process. It’s going to make you feel really good to be reminded that this is your country, this is your future, and you own it. We have the right to decide where we go so go out and vote.”

CNN’s exit poll shows Trump was the preferred candidate Among first-time voters in this election, the vote against Harris was 54 percent to 45 percent. That 9-point lead for Trump marked a huge shift of more than 40 points from 2020, when the CNN exit poll showed 64 percent of 15,590 voters first surveyed supported Biden.

In an opinion piece for puckPolitical journalist Peter Hamby called Harris’ performance among young voters in the election a “terrible disaster” and a “disturbing omen” for the United States. Democratic Party‘s political future.

Hamby added that the vice president has failed to appeal to young voters in many key states on the leading election issue of the economy, leading them to believe Trump “can probably help their pockets, regardless of his flaws.”

“The energy I saw in the fly zone was absolutely no match for the Harris campaign. Selling non-stop on TikTok and other outlets where Harris and the Democrats have tried to appear cool,” Hamby wrote.

“It was there Tim WalzHe acts like he knows more about football than he probably does. For Kamala, there were Swifties. Chappell Roan-Inspired by Harris-Walz hats. AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) appears on Twitch. Remixes and music videos were raining down like an avalanche J.D. Vance. Ever since Harris became the nominee, Democrats were hoping they could get some good vibes. But Vibes won’t pay off that car loan.”

Harris is expected to Admitting defeat to Trump during a speech at Howard University in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday afternoon.