Libertarian Gary Johnson Continues to Siphon Millennials, New Polls Show
Hillary losing millennials to Johnson, not Trump.
A new poll from purple state Virginia has shown that Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson has snagged millennial voters from Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and GOP candidate Donald Trump.
Hillary leads the state in a contest with Trump 52-30, but when you add Johnson her favorability with millennials falls to 34% while Johnson takes 27% and Trump plummets to 23%.
What does this mean for the Libertarian Party? Does this show that Hillary needs to concentrate more on millennials?
A survey from the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University (CNU) released these results on Monday, the day of the first presidential debate. The center wrote:
Millennial voters are even less enthusiastic about this election, with only 32% indicating they were either very or somewhat enthusiastic. This mirrors findings from other recent surveys and could indicate problems for the Clinton campaign, which hopes to harness the voting power of the Obama Coalition. Republicans have a slight edge over Democrats in terms of enthusiasm.
But this enthusiasm expands beyond Virginia. A Quinnipiac University poll from September 14 showed Clinton polling over Trump, 41 – 39. Johnson only took 13%, but a look at the data by age group painted a different picture:
Get this, the numbers for voters ages 18 to 34: Clinton 31 percent, Johnson 29 percent, Trump 26 percent, [Green Party candidate Jill] Stein 15 percent.
That is astounding.
According to this poll, 44 percent of the Millennial voters would cast ballots for candidates who, quite frankly, have absolutely no chance whatsoever of becoming the 45th president of the United States. And one, Johnson, is in second place!
Almost 2,000 students at Purdue University attended Johnson’s rally on September 14. Why is he winning with millennials? The answer is simple:
Johnson told News 18, most millennials are craving less government and want more social change. He said he reflects what most millennials believe in, which is making many convert to the Libertarian vote.
“I think most millennials recognize that choice in life, freedom and liberty,” Johnson said. “I should be able to decide anything in my life that I want as long as I don’t harm others.”
Many millennials wanted Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) as the Democrat candidate. A fair number of the diehard Bernie supports have not walked over to Hillary’s camp. Instead, they have gravitated towards the third party candidates, Johnson and Stein.
Millennials are not budging:
“It’s not OK to try to win the country through fear tactics,” said Erin Young, 32, a gift shop manager from Mosca, Colo., who now supports Johnson. “I can’t just vote for one because they scare me slightly less than the other. I’d rather vote for someone that I have confidence for and respect.”
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“I’d rather vote for someone that I have confidence for and respect.”
And, what seems to be implied, regardless of consequences. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States of America. For many, this is a hard choice and even a bitter one. Nevertheless, they will vote for one or another.
It seems to me that the millennials position is one that typifies their generation. The third party candidate is an easy out. It’s tougher and more difficult choice, requires more political homework, to discern between less than ideal candidates.
Third party vote is a wasted, non-committal vote.
A third party vote sends a message. Millenials are simply taking a long view.
To my way of thinkin’ a message is no good unless understood. Inasmuch as there are no qualifiers on ballots for what a vote represents, this leaves it to the interpretation by the pollsters, politicians, and MSM. No doubt, they’ll massage the results according to their vested perspectives which may or may not be representative of third-party voting.
As for the long-term view, should Hillary Clinton be elected to POTUS, it can be scratched for many generations.
Additionally, the millennial is scared, fearful? Well, that means danger is at hand. I’m scared as well, for our country. Scared of what Hillary Clinton might do. And, scared of what Donald Trump says he wants to do because it indicates the sad state and fragile condition of our nation. The former would explain away and paint a pretty picture. The latter says this is the trouble and here is what I want to do about it.
Somewhere along the way I heard the expression about preferring the bitterest truth than the most pleasant lie. Again, to me, Donald Trump represents the former and Hillary Clinton represents the latter. Given what is at stake for our nation, there is no way I could go third party. My choice is between the two. My choice is Donald Trump.
Will the message be understood? Probably. And if not, it’s major parties’ loss.
Are the millennials scared? any more than any other generation of young adults? What do I know?
I’m scared for the country myself. I’ll pass on The Fonald, though, and see who is nominated in 2020. Taking a short-term view, Hillary/Trump choice is a wash. Medium view – Hillary is slightly worse (nominates slightly worse SCOTUS). In a long run we are better off suffering through Hillary to save American Exceptionalism-grounded conservative movement.
No easy answers, but in my view it’s the best solution.
Actually what is implied is that you don’t understand electoral math. It is almost a mathematical certainty your vote will have more impact given to 3rd party candidate.
https://fee.org/articles/how-not-to-waste-your-vote-a-mathematical-analysis/
Secondly, as another person mentioned, we are taking the long-view and trying to correct a two party system problem which has more long term impact than selecting one of two terrible candidates. Don’t want Trump or Hillary to win? Then I suggest the rest of you switch YOUR vote to Johnson. We aren’t budging and we don’t care about how the consequences of this election affect you. Oh, and I am a gen x’r not a millenlial.
Not sure what it all means issues-wise. Do young people reject conservatism? Hard to say because this election no major party candidate is articulating conservative ideas.
Moreover, neither Hillary nor Trump relatable to people… under 50. Johnson is an oddball, but he seems more approachable.
At a time when the Russian and Chinese militaries are cooperating in exercises and ISIS is running unchecked across the Middle East and into Europe; Gary Johnson still wants to cut the defense budget by 42%. His intransigence to recognize the facts puts him on par with Obama and Hillary.