If the South Carolina Republican primary plays out as polls have been predicting, Donald Trump will win and there will be a battle between Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz for second place.
However, if we’ve learned anything from this election cycle so far, it is perhaps better to expect the unexpected. Establishment Democrats recently learned they couldn’t count on liberals to support Hillary Clinton after young Democrats in both Iowa and New Hampshire were able to swing results in Sen. Bernie Sanders’ favor — and establishment Republicans can’t count on being beaten by Trump.
Janet Hook of the Wall Street Journal recently reported that this year’s election cycle marks a “generational turning point,” because, “for the first time, millennials will match baby boomers as a share of the electorate.”
While Trump’s status as a political outsider has won him many young supporters, for most millennials — Democrat and Republican alike — college debt is major policy concern.
This is where Marco Rubio, the youngest candidate vying for the Republican nomination, has a leg up on the competition.
“Early in the race, the Rubio campaign built a strong infrastructure on campuses across South Carolina and offered positive solutions to the issues facing students,” said University of South Carolina student Grace Kerley. “I think he will be rewarded on Election Day for this.”
Rubio talks about his own student loan debt on the campaign trail, as well as his two young daughters who will be headed off to college soon.
At a town hall event this week in Easley, S.C., Rubio explained his “student investment plan” to a high school student who voiced his concern about the looming cost of college.
“It allows you to go to a private investor and have them pay your college tuition instead of a loan,” Rubio said. “They’re investing in you the way they would in a small business. If you graduate, make a lot of money and are financially successful, they made a good investment, they made a profit. If you don’t, they’re stuck, they made a bad investment. It’s better than the loan because they’re on the books, not you, and because it doesn’t sit on your credit report.”
After a surprisingly strong performance in the Iowa caucus followed by a disappointing fifth place finish in New Hampshire, Rubio is poised for a comeback in Saturday’s primary, armed with key endorsements from South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Trey Gowdy, and Gov. Nikki Haley. He is also polling best among young voters.
Meanwhile, Ted Cruz has an extensive ground strategy in South Carolina as well, with a network of well-funded super PACs and canvassers targeting the state’s Evangelical voter base.
Meredith College student and South Carolina native Christian Caroline said that in her experience, most young conservatives prefer Rubio’s message, however, she conceded that young voters are all across the board right now; some like Trump for defying political correctness, while the libertarian-leaning youth tend to favor Ted Cruz.
“I’m excited about Saturday, I totally don’t know what’s going to happen,” Caroline said, noting her state’s historical reputation for picking the GOP presidential nominee.
