Young voters are mad about Gaza. But many don’t see it driving their 2024 vote – By Ben Kamisar (NBC News) / May 2, 2024
Focus groups of Wisconsin students exposed intense feelings about Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — and how it fits into other issues that matter in the election.
Young people are deeply critical of the Biden administration’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas, as some college students participate in pro-Palestinian protests on campuses across the country.
But a pair of new focus groups of politically independent college students in Wisconsin highlighted a key distinction that’s also evident in public polling: Few of the participants believe the issue could actually change their vote for president this fall, though some questioned whether it would push them not to vote at all. And they almost unanimously believe former President Donald Trump would do no better (or even worse) on the issue than President Joe Biden has.
The interviews with a total of 16 students in the University of Wisconsin system shed light on the intensity of support for the protests among these potential voters, as well as a sense of relative apathy on politics in general. Many are considering supporting third-party or independent candidates, as they’ve soured on both Biden and Trump.
“I don’t think Biden is doing a great job; I don’t think Trump would do a better job,” said Cooper M., a 19-year-old University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire student who is currently backing Biden.
