Trump is hemorrhaging older voters, polls show
![Trump supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gGy9EDuwZUGNCqpEwrnG6K-415-80.jpg)
Several of President Trump's previously reliable voting blocs are starting to slide into former Vice President Joe Biden's territory.
Trump proved popular among older voters, and unexpectedly so in Rust Belt states like Michigan and Wisconsin, back in the 2016 election. But polls show Trump is sliding among those once-promising voting blocs, and even in formerly solid Republican states such as Arizona.
The age gap between the two main political parties has been clear for decades: Younger voters tend to go for Democrats, while older people vote Republican, FiveThirtyEight notes. That proved true once again in 2016, where Trump won not only voters over 65 but also those between 45 and 64. But recent polls — and even reportedly Trump's private polling — show he's faltering among those age groups. Trump's average margin of four percent over Hillary Clinton in 2016 among voters age 45-64 has fallen to give Biden a 1.4 percent average advantage in that group. And while Trump won voters over 65 by 13.3 percent the last election around, he's now losing them by a percentage point to Biden, polls show.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The New York Times has suggested those floundering numbers could stem from Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and older voters aren't the only group that could turn on him because of it. Republican leaders in states that went for Trump in 2016 warn he could lose this year if voters are worried about their health and the economy; top advisers and GOP officials in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin all shared this prediction with Politico.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Why Roman epic Those About to Die has split the critics
Talking Point Sword and sandals miniseries starring Anthony Hopkins puts spectacle above story
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Why is China stockpiling resources?
The Explainer The superpower has been amassing huge reserves of commodities at great cost despite its economic downturn
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Paraguay's dangerous dalliance with cryptocurrency
Under The Radar Overheating Paraguayans are pushing back over power outages caused by illegal miners
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia bombs Kyiv children's hospital
Speed Reads The daytime barrage interrupted heart surgeries and killed at least 40 people
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published