Millennials’ support for Obama dips in new poll

Although President Obama's support among Millennials has dipped since the 2008 election, a new poll shows he is widening his lead over likely general election opponent Mitt Romney among those of 18- to 29-year-old voters.

Obama will visit the UI Field House at 1 p.m. Wednesday to talk about the need for Congress to act to prevent the interest rate on student loans from doubling July 1. The UI visit is part of a three-state swing by the president to campuses in battleground states.

According to the White House, more than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double July 1 unless Congress steps in to keep them low. For each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans racks up an additional $1,000 in debt.

According to congressional Republicans, maintaining the current interest rate will cost taxpayers $6 billion.

The results of a national poll of 18- to 29- year-olds by Harvard's Institute of Politics, finds Obama has expanded his lead over to a 17-point margin. That's a gain of 6percentage points since late November polling by the institute.

“Over the last several months, we have seen more of the Millennial vote begin to solidify around President Obama and Democrats in Congress,” said Harvard Institute of Politics Director Trey Grayson. “At the same time, there has been effectively no change in their support for Mitt Romney and Republicans in Congress.”

However, Romney suggested this morning younger voters are questioning the support they gave Obama three-and-a-half years ago.

“He promised bringing the country together; that sure hasn't happened,” Romney said. “He promised a future with good jobs and good opportunity; that hasn't happened. And the pathway that he pursued is one which has not worked. Young people recognize that and I think that's why they're going to increasingly look for a different approach.”

Millennials may not be as supportive of Obama and Democrats as they were in 2008, but “this in no way implies that the Republican Party has successfully captured the hearts, minds and votes of Millennials,” said John Della Volpe, the institute's polling director.

Instead, he said, the polling indicates Millennials care deeply about the country but “and feel that the political system as represented by both parties has not effectively engaged them on the issues that will shape their and our nation's future.”

Complete results of the web-enabled survey of 3,096 18- to 29- year-old U.S. citizens with a margin of error of +/– 1.7 percentage points (95% confidence level) conducted with research partner Knowledge Networks for the IOP between March 23 and April 9 are available – along with past surveys –at 

www.iop.harvard.edu.