Kamala Harris, Donald Trump Gender Gap Turns Into Chasm Among Young Voters

Vice President Kamala Harris is widening the gap between her and former President Donald Trump among voters under 30, nearly doubling her support to turn an already-significant gender gap into a striking divide.
The latest Harvard Institute of Politics (IOP), which surveyed more than 2,000 young adults between September 4 and 16, showed 61 percent of respondents intend to vote for Harris, compared to 30 percent for Trump.
The margin is even more striking among young female voters, with whom Harris leads by a staggering 47 points, capturing 70 percent of the vote to Trump’s 23 percent. Among young men, the gap is narrower, with Harris holding a more modest 17-point lead.
The poll also found that Harris leads Trump by substantial margins on a range of key issues and personal qualities that resonate with young voters. Harris is seen as more empathetic, relatable and honest than Trump, with a 33-point lead on empathy and a 24-point lead on relatability among all young adults​​.
Harris also holds commanding leads on the issues young voters care about most, including climate change, health care and abortion rights. On climate change, Harris leads Trump by 32 points, with a similar margin on health care (+26) and abortion rights (+31).
The enthusiasm gap between young Democrats and Republicans has grown significantly as well, according to the poll. While 74 percent of young Democrats said they will “definitely” vote in the upcoming election, only 60 percent of young Republicans expressed the same certainty.
Harris has been particularly successful in energizing her base, with 81 percent of young voters who support her expressing strong enthusiasm about casting their vote. This is nearly double the level of enthusiasm young voters had for President Joe Biden earlier in the year.
In contrast, Trump has struggled to galvanize similar levels of excitement among young voters, particularly women. His support remains largely confined to male voters, where his 36 percent share of the vote is still not enough to close the gap with Harris​.
Still, while Harris has effectively reenergized the Democratic base, anti-Trump sentiment remains the primary factor driving voter mobilization. Many view her candidacy more as a means to prevent Trump’s return to the presidency than a full endorsement of her proposals.
A majority of her voters (53 percent) are motivated by opposition to Trump, while 47 percent express explicit support for Harris and her policies.
In contrast, the dynamics among Trump’s supporters are quite different. A significant 72 percent of his voters indicate their support is driven by alignment with Trump and his policies, reflecting a more policy-focused or loyal voter base. Only 28 percent of Trump supporters are primarily motivated by opposition to Harris, showing a deeper connection to Trump’s political platform or the candidate.
It’s no surprise that economic concerns dominate the priorities of young Americans, with 32 percent of respondents naming economic issues as their top concern. Among those, 11 percent specifically pointed to inflation and the rising cost of living, highlighting the growing financial pressures on this demographic.
On the economy, Trump holds a slight edge, leading Harris by 1 point. This narrow margin is similar to other polls that consistently show Republicans outperforming Democrats on concerns like inflation and everyday costs, such as groceries—key issues weighing on the minds of many young voters.
However, while Trump is seen as more trustworthy on economic matters, his platforms on foreign policy and immigration resonate less with younger voters. Only 6 percent of young people list immigration as a top concern.
Abortion and reproductive rights, however, emerge as the second-most important issue, prioritized by 8 percent of young voters. This underscores the significant role these topics play in shaping the political landscape, particularly in light of recent national debates.
Environmental and foreign policy concerns follow closely behind, with 6 percent and 5 percent of respondents, respectively, naming them as top issues. Climate change, which is often viewed as a critical issue for younger generations, notably ranked at just 1 percent, the same as national security.
When it comes to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which barely registers at 1 percent, both candidates are viewed in a similar light. Trump leads Harris by 2 points (28 percent to 26 percent) on this issue, indicating a rare point of near parity between the two.