Although national polls have New York senator Hillary Clinton leading the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, a top poll is reporting college-aged voters have a different favorite early in the race: Illinois senator Barack Obama, who held the largest fundraiser of his campaign to date at Boston University on Friday.
Among 18- to 24-year-olds likely to vote Democrat in November 2008, 35 percent said they would likely vote for Obama, according to researchers at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. The numbers represent a contrast to older voters — according to national polls cited within the Harvard study — with 24 percent saying they would favor Obama and 42 percent planning to vote for Clinton.
In the poll conducted nationwide from March 8-26, college-aged Republicans were closer aligned to their older counterparts, with 31 percent and 34 percent, respectively, saying they would vote for former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, according to the cited nationwide polls.
The Harvard study asked college-aged people planning to vote Democrat or Republican to only choose a candidate within their respective party affiliations.
Project co-chairwoman Marina Fisher said the noticeable differences in opinions between younger and older voters will make the Democratic race especially interesting.
“Obama is young, and he uses [Facebook.com] and new media,” Fisher said. “He’s very technological, so it’s not surprising he is favored by them.”
The sheer size of Obama’s volunteer base, especially students, could prove to be his strongest asset at the polls, Fisher added.
“It’s something like 66 percent of Obama’s supporters who are willing to go out and volunteer with him,” she said. “It’s the outreach the [candidate] does that will make this difference.”
Fisher said although Obama’s warm personality is a huge draw for younger voters, it is still too early to tell from the results whether other issues will emerge and change their minds between now and next November.
The war in Iraq, terrorism and domestic concerns were listed as top issues for half of 18- to 24-year-olds, according to the study.
BU College Democrats spokesman David Sokolove, who said he helped promote the Obama fundraiser at Agganis Arena,, said he is not surprised Obama leads among college students. Obama’s message that change is necessary for the United States resonates with many young people disenchanted with the country’s direction, Sokolove said, adding it helps Obama that he is “hugely charismatic” and “enormously articulate.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this kind of response to any politician, of either party, among the 18- to 24-year-old crowd,” he said in an email.
BU alum Sam Kendall, an Obama supporter, said both Obama’s and Giuliani’s reputations as consensus builders appeal to young voters tired of partisan politics.
“Our age group has become politically active in a time when there is so much partisan bickering that we are seeking, from both sides,” he said.
The Giuliani and Obama campaign committees did not respond to requests for comment.