(the Generation Lab/ Cyrus Beschloss)
Key findings
- 57% of Democrats consider Joe Biden to be the leader of the party
- 62% of respondents think Biden should pursue major legislation even when it has no Republican support
- The most common feelings to the Biden Administration are "Optimism" (listed by 64%), followed by "Relief" (55%) and Pride (24%)
Overview: When a decade's worth of political change packs itself into a two-month news-quake, the status quo rattles. So too, do young people's views on President Biden.
What's new: Young people back Biden in a way we haven't seen since he launched his campaign. Not only are they pushing out a post-Trump sigh, but are showing signs of affirmative support for the new Administration.
• Plus: Most consider Biden leader of the party.
But: They expect Biden to hold up his end - most respondents want big bills, even when there's no bipartisan appetite.
Axios/Generation Lab poll | n=807 | Jan. 22-24
Full top-lines
1- "Do you approve of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as President?"
Approve: 81%
Disapprove: 19%
2 - Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump handled his job as president?
Approve: 20%
Disapprove: 80%
3 - What are your overall feelings about the Biden-Harris Administration? (Select ALL that apply)
Optimism: 64%
Relief: 55%
Pride: 24%
Anxiety: 22%
Disgust: 9%
Anger: 5%
4 - With President Biden's emphasis on unity, should he pursue sweeping legislation when it has no Republican support?
Definitely should: 21%
Probably should: 41%
Probably should NOT: 27%
Definitely should NOT: 11%
5 - Irrespective of who you voted for, who will you look to as the leader of the Democratic Party (AMONG DEMS):
Joe Biden: 57%
Bernie Sanders: 13%
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: 9%
Kamala Harris: 10%
Nancy Pelosi: 7%
Pete Buttigieg: 1%
Joe Manchin: <1%
6 - Irrespective of who you voted for, who will you look to as the leader of the Republican Party? (AMONG GOP)
Donald Trump: 57%
Mike Pence: 19%
Mitch McConnell: 17%
Mitt Romney: 5%
Nikki Haley: 1%
Josh Hawley: 1%
7 - How has your political engagement changed over the last 4 years?
Reading the news
More often: 68%
As often: 19%
Less often: 13%
Talking about politics with friends
More often: 71%
As often: 16%
Less often: 15%
Methodology:
This study was conducted from January 22nd to January 24th from a representative sample of 807 students nationwide from 2-year and 4-year schools. The Generation Lab conducts polling using a demographically representative sample frame of college students at community colleges, technical colleges, trade schools and public and private four-year institutions.
We choose respondents using an exhaustive list of all post-secondary institutions in the United States, and - in random order - engage students through a combination of methods to give any student at each school as equal a chance of being surveyed as possible, including students at HBCU’s, women’s-only colleges, tribal colleges and technical colleges.
This approach mitigates biases resulting from a non-random approach. The final frame used in our polling closely resembles a probability sample of college students in the United States.