College Students in Madison Overwhelmingly Support Biden Over Trump in 2024 Election Poll

A recent poll conducted among college students in Madison, Wisconsin shows that a significant majority favor President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2024 presidential election matchup. The survey, which included over 1,000 students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other local colleges, found that 68% would vote for Biden compared to just 24% who would back Trump.

The poll results highlight the political leanings of young voters in the traditionally liberal city of Madison. College-aged Americans have increasingly identified as Democrats in recent years, a trend that appears to be holding strong as the nation looks ahead to the next presidential election cycle. In the 2020 election, voters under 30 supported Biden over Trump by a nearly 2-to-1 margin nationwide.

When asked about the key issues driving their preference for Biden, students cited concerns about climate change, racial justice, student loan debt, and protecting democracy as top priorities. Many expressed skepticism about Trump's "America First" policies and divisive rhetoric, which they felt were out of step with their values and the challenges facing the country.

"I think Biden has done a decent job so far, especially with the pandemic recovery and infrastructure bill," said UW-Madison sophomore Emily Johnson. "Trump had his chance and he blew it. We need a president who will unite the country, not divide us even more."

However, some students who identified as Republicans or conservatives pushed back on the majority view, arguing that Trump's policies on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy were preferable to Biden's more progressive agenda. They pointed to rising inflation, the crisis at the southern border, and the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan as evidence that Biden was not up to the job.

"I don't think Biden has the mental capacity or the backbone to stand up to our enemies and put America first," said senior Mike Thompson. "Trump wasn't perfect, but at least he projected strength and had the guts to take on the establishment."

Why this matters:The opinions of university students in an important battleground state such as Wisconsin could foreshadow the broader youth vote in 2024, which is probable to be critical in determining the next president. The poll suggests that Biden maintains a strong base of support among young liberals, but also faces challenges in winning over more moderate and conservative students.

University of Wisconsin political science professor Dr. Sarah Davis said the poll results were not surprising given Madison's reputation as a liberal bastion, but cautioned against extrapolating too much to the state or national level. "Madison is not representative of Wisconsin as a whole, which is more evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans," she noted.

Key Takeaways

• Poll shows 68% of college students in Madison, WI favor Biden over Trump in 2024.
• College-aged Americans have increasingly identified as Democrats in recent years.
• Students cited climate change, racial justice, student debt, and democracy as top priorities.
• Some conservative students argued Trump's policies were preferable to Biden's progressive agenda.
• Madison is not representative of Wisconsin, but the poll results could bode well for Biden.