Have The Democrats Learned Nothing From Campus Protests?

In Philadelphia and across the U.S., progressive young voters rejected the idea that domestic priorities must be tied to a destructive policy abroad.

In mid-November, I attended a public meeting organized by Reclaim Philadelphia, a progressive group founded in the aftermath of the first Trump presidency. The event served as an election post-mortem, but also as a place to begin to chart a way forward — to consider what the next four years may bring. Speakers, including members of the local Philadelphia community and Reclaim’s leadership, described the ways in which the Democratic party leadership had failed them: plenty of “brat” and Beyonce, but nothing about a living wage for working families — all while supporting a genocide in Gaza and repression on college campuses.

Donald Trump’s commanding victory is attributable to more factors than can be easily listed here. But among the lessons of the presidential election, the youth vote tells an important story.

University of Texas students protest Israel's war in Gaza and the arrest of students at a demonstration the previous day at a rally on campus.

Overall, the Democrats experienced their worst performance among young people in 20 years. Compared to President Joe Biden’s election victory in 2020, Vice President Kamala Harris lost 3 million votes from Americans under 30. Americans across the country moved to the right, and under-30 voters were no exception. But the Democrats lost youth not only to Trump but to broad demobilization: put simply, fewer young voters turned out at the polls.

According to research compiled by Tufts University, nationwide youth participation was eight points lower in 2024 than in 2020 — 42 percent as compared to 50 percent. Kamala Harris won among under-30s by only four points; in 2020, Biden beat Trump among this demographic by 25 points. That’s a 21-point swing in only four years.