The energy on Michigan college campuses ahead of the 2022 midterms, students said, was electric.
Armed with promises to protect abortion rights, Democratic candidates held large rallies on campuses, drawing crowds who came ready to cheer, rather than protest. On Election Day, students turned out in droves, resulting in the highest youth turnout of any state, helping Democrats take full control of Michigan’s government for the first time in decades.
But ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary, the energy appears to have morphed into apathy or anger. Young activists have been at the forefront of the sustained reaction to President Biden’s strong support for Israel and his military campaign in Gaza, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. The protest against American politics culminated in an effort to encourage residents to vote “without commitment.” to send a message to Mr. Biden in the crucial state of the general election.
Interviews with more than two dozen students across the state indicated a deeper well of dissatisfaction, not just with the sitting president, but with the prospect of having to once again choose between two candidates (Biden and former President Donald J. . Trump) for decades. older than them.
“There has been a tense atmosphere on campus,” said Adam Lacasse, co-president of the College Democrats at the University of Michigan. “Many people, if they are not upset with what is happening, with the administration’s handling of that conflict, stay away from politics because they do not want to get involved in it.”
National polls have reflected a similar sentiment for months: Voters under 30, who backed Biden by more than 20 points in 2020, are not enthusiastic about a rematch between Biden and Trump, who is widely favored in the Republican primary. Tuesday.
But for some young people in Michigan and elsewhere, Biden’s alignment with Israel has presented a new concern. Voters under 30 overwhelmingly expressed opposition to the conflict in a December New York Times/Siena College poll, saying Israel had not done enough to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza and that the military campaign should stop.
Many Michigan college students, regardless of their position on the foreign policy issue, described the conflict as almost inescapable. Protests at universities have become commonplace and coverage of the war has dominated their social media.
Hussein Bazzi, 24, a student at Wayne State University, said he would vote “non-committally” to send a message to Biden: “that we want an immediate ceasefire.” Bazzi endorsed Biden in 2020, but he’s not sure if he will do so again in November. “If that doesn’t send a clear message to you,” he said, “then I don’t know what will.”
Biden is still expected to easily win Tuesday’s primary. But the strength of his opposition will be watched closely as a sign of his support heading into November.
A poll commissioned by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV in January found that 15.6 percent of Michigan voters ages 18 to 29 had a favorable opinion of Biden.
“If you’re a Democratic incumbent running for re-election, young voters are an essential part of your coalition, and that’s why the numbers we’re finding in Michigan show that Joe Biden really has a dangerous path ahead right now,” said Richard Czuba, an independent pollster in Lansing, Michigan, who said Biden’s age was the main driver of dissatisfaction.
Several leaders of Michigan’s college Democrats said they were concerned that young people simply weren’t excited about 2024. Even a small slip in Biden’s coalition, with voters staying home, could hurt his chances.
“I’m definitely not going to sugarcoat it: I’m personally nervous,” said Liam Richichi, vice president of College Democrats at Michigan State University. He added that students seemed “bored of the perspectives we have.”
“I’ve talked to a lot of people in the club, and something we’re actively trying to work against is the possibility of low voter turnout,” he added, suggesting the group could emphasize down-ballot races like Senate elections. in November.
Biden’s campaign deployed some surrogates to reach young people ahead of Tuesday: Rep. Sara Jacobs of California held a debate at the University of Michigan and Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland led a virtual rally with students.
Alyssa Bradley, communications director for Biden’s Michigan campaign, said Biden “has taken historic steps to support young Americans,” noting his passage of climate policy, forgiveness of millions of student loans and his support for access to abortion, which she said was a “stark contrast” to Trump.
“Our rights, our future and our democracy are at stake in this election, and we will continue to engage young people to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the White House, just as we did in 2020,” he said.
But some young people indicated in interviews that they were not aware of the president’s achievements on issues that mattered to them, part of a messaging challenge that the campaign has tried to remedy by expanding its digital presence. (Mr. Biden made his first TikTok post this month.)
“I recognize the American right to vote, but we also have the right not to, especially if you don’t agree with any of the candidates,” said Aiden Duong, a 19-year-old student at Michigan State University who is not part of the election. of “uncommitted” effort. He said he did not plan to support Trump or Biden in November, citing their ages and what he perceived as inaction on climate change, a key issue for him.
Listen to Michigan, the group of primarily young organizers pushing the “uncommitted” protest vote has tried to capitalize on Democratic dissatisfaction by showing up on campuses, but has sometimes struggled to reach that audience. The primary will take place during a week when many Michigan students are on spring break and many students still on campus were unaware of the election.
About 100 people finally showed up last week at an “uncommitted” rally on the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus. Organizers encouraged attendees to stand in a large circle to take up more space. A march to the polls organized by Listen to Michigan at Kalamazoo College drew about 15 students Saturday.
Biden said Monday he was hopeful for a ceasefire within the next week. But some students who support the effort say nothing will change their minds about Biden. Salma Hamamy, a University of Michigan student who has organized pro-Palestinian protests there, said that despite supporting Biden in 2020, she would not do so again.
“To me, he is beyond redemption: he has lost my vote because voting for him is basically saying that I agree with his actions,” Hamamy, 22, said. “If that means Trump is elected, I blame the Democratic party.” Party for allowing that to happen.”
However, students who support Biden argue that while their peers remain skeptical, closely comparing the two candidates will be enough to win over young people as November approaches.
Immaculata James, co-chair of the College Democrats at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, highlighted the Biden administration’s work in areas such as college debt relief and health care costs to encourage students to ask : “Although it’s not a very exciting election, at the end of the day, what does your future look like with Trump versus Biden?
Donovan Greene, a Kalamazoo College senior who attended Listen to Michigan’s walk to the polls, said he supported Biden in 2020, calling him the “lesser of two evils,” but voted “uncommitted” in the primary. due to his Israeli policy.
But Ms Greene said that in her “last desperate moments” she would consider backing him again in November, saying: “The changes that occurred in the US socially and economically under President Donald Trump were unequivocally what I do not want to see. .”