Leaders of several prominent left-wing voter groups warned President Joe Biden in an open letter on Tuesday that his stance on the Israel-Hamas war was “badly out of step” with youth voters, who played an instrumental role in the 2020 election.
The group of leaders warned that if Biden did not change his pro-Israel stance, it could lead to young voters staying home on election night or voting third party in 2024.
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“We are experts in youth voting behavior who have worked tirelessly across the years to generate Generation Z and Millennial enthusiasm for civic action under a variety of circumstances,” the leaders wrote in the open letter. “We write to you to issue a very stark and unmistakable warning: you and your Administration’s stance on Gaza risks millions of young voters staying home or voting third party next year.”
The signers said they came from myriad cultural backgrounds, including from different races, classes, and regions, to inspire millennial and Generation Z voters to take part in the civic process. The signers represent leaders from March for Our Lives, a student-led gun violence advocacy group founded by school shooting survivors, United We Dream, which is the largest immigrant youth-led network in the United States, and the youth climate organization the Sunrise Movement.
The authors claimed they could not explain the Biden administration’s support for Israel to the younger generation and encouraged Biden to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas to end a war that has now gone on for one month. The war has also cost thousands of lives on both sides.
“There is no way for a Democratic presidential nominee to win without significant youth voter enthusiasm and mobilization,” the leaders warned. “Young people are a cornerstone of a winning Democratic coalition, and the vast majority of young people in this country are rightfully horrified by the atrocities committed with our tax dollars, with your support, and our nation’s military backing. … You cannot win this election by only telling our generation that you are the lesser of two evils. The position of your administration is badly out of step with young people and the positions of Democratic voters, whom have been shown to support a ceasefire.”
A recent New York Times-Siena College poll of five swing states found that just 5% of voters under 30, who are largely Democrats, “strongly approve” of how Biden is doing his job and that only 25% “somewhat approve.”
A Gallup poll last week also found that Biden’s approval rating among Democrats had dropped 11 percentage points in the past month, with a steep drop among young voters. Younger voters are crucial to Democrats but already vote at a lower rate than the older cohorts, which tend to trend more Republican, according to a report.
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“While we have not always agreed, we have always appreciated your administration’s willingness to listen to our voices and include our interests as a vital component of the coalition you represent,” the leaders wrote. “However, we believe you are failing to hear us on this issue, and we are deeply concerned about the potential consequences.”
The letter concluded: “We deeply understand that America and the world cannot afford another four years of far-right leadership. However, that is the path you are risking. Stand on the right side of history. Your legacy hangs in the balance.”
