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TechnographConservatism on the rise in young voters
By Eric Chima
Posted: 12/14/04 Section: Features
When Michael Graves was 20 years old, a typical evening involved caking his face in skull makeup, donning a leather vest stained with fake blood and spitting out lyrics in front of hordes of moshing, screaming kids. For five years, Graves was the lead singer of the Misfits, a legendary punk band known for their bloody "fiend" costumes and horror-movie lyrics. In short, he was the perfect example of America's radical liberal youth.
From the moment he left the stage, though, Graves was a devout Catholic and conservative voter.
Graves, now 29, was just one of a growing number of American youths defying the traditional stereotype of the young liberal. In recent years, the Democratic hold on the college-age demographic has weakened. If it releases altogether, they could be on the losing end of elections for years to come.
The mass influx of liberal votes from college campuses has become a myth, said Carrie Donovan, the youth director for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).
"I think a lot of people still assume that college students are very liberal based on how young people used to be," Donovan said. "It's definitely not like that; the difference is only maybe five percentage points, not 30."
A year ago, it seemed Democrats had lost college students altogether. A survey conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics (IOP) in October 2003 found that President Bush's approval rating was higher among college students than with the rest of the populace. He led by seven points among college students over any Democratic challenger.
By Election Day, Bush's support among college students fell, but IOP data suggests that it had more to do with the war in Iraq than the president's conservative policies. Bush's approval rating among college students slipped as disapproval of the war grew, but they still said he would "keep the country safer and more secure" than Kerry and favored his "clear stance on the issues," according to the survey.
From the moment he left the stage, though, Graves was a devout Catholic and conservative voter.
Graves, now 29, was just one of a growing number of American youths defying the traditional stereotype of the young liberal. In recent years, the Democratic hold on the college-age demographic has weakened. If it releases altogether, they could be on the losing end of elections for years to come.
The mass influx of liberal votes from college campuses has become a myth, said Carrie Donovan, the youth director for the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).
"I think a lot of people still assume that college students are very liberal based on how young people used to be," Donovan said. "It's definitely not like that; the difference is only maybe five percentage points, not 30."
A year ago, it seemed Democrats had lost college students altogether. A survey conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics (IOP) in October 2003 found that President Bush's approval rating was higher among college students than with the rest of the populace. He led by seven points among college students over any Democratic challenger.
By Election Day, Bush's support among college students fell, but IOP data suggests that it had more to do with the war in Iraq than the president's conservative policies. Bush's approval rating among college students slipped as disapproval of the war grew, but they still said he would "keep the country safer and more secure" than Kerry and favored his "clear stance on the issues," according to the survey.
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