Longtime Democratic strategist James Carville suggested both Biden and former President Trump have contributed to losing interest among younger voters, calling that his “biggest fear.”
Carville, who has criticized Biden and said the president should not seek reelection, said in a radio interview that he worries young people’s lack of interest in public policy is losing the next generation.
“It’s really unfortunate that there’s a lack of enthusiasm among young people for public policy, public service and participation in the public sphere,” Carville said in an interview with radio talk show host John Catsmathidis on WABC 770 AM’s “Cats Roundtable.”
“I understand that to a certain extent,” he added, “I’ve spoken to them and they feel like a lot of things are not going well. Two 80-year-olds feel like it doesn’t mean much to them. They’re really worried about losing the younger generation… That’s my biggest concern for America, that young people are losing interest.”
Trump and Biden are facing off again in less than six months in what is sure to be a rematch of the 2020 general election, and are working to win over younger voters. Both campaigns have stepped up efforts to connect with younger generations as Election Day approaches. Biden has faced criticism from some younger voters over his administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
Carville, who hosted Clinton’s 1992 campaign, criticized the Biden campaign in late May for placing too much emphasis on the war between Israel and Hamas and not enough on the economy.
“When you talk about the cost of living, they say, ‘We’ll help you deal with this,'” he said. “Don’t talk about f**king Gaza and student loans!”
President Trump joined TikTok last weekend, the video-sharing platform he tried to ban while in the Oval Office. The move was a shock, as the account’s followers surpassed those of the Biden campaign in less than 24 hours. The Biden campaign has been using the app for months, connecting with young influencers to help spread the president’s message ahead of the second half of 2024. The president himself does not have an account, and he recently signed a bill that could potentially ban TikTok.
A Harvard University poll of young people conducted in April found Biden leading Trump by just eight points among 18- to 29-year-olds. At the same time in 2020, Biden led Trump by 23 points among that same age group.
Recent investigation A GenForward poll from the University of Chicago found that the president has lost some of his base of support among young Black, Latino and Asian Americans, who lead Trump by just 2 points, but 34% said they would support a third-party candidate or “someone else.”
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