The emphasis that these younger black voters place on the economy, coupled with their strong preference for Sanders, could be heartening for Democrats who are concerned about the New England firebrand’s palatability to the general electorate. Following a 2016 election that saw depressed Democratic turnout among black voters in key states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, Sanders’ appeal among younger black primary voters could carry over to November and energize voters who are typically less likely to show up on Election Day.
For years, Sanders has been among the louder voices on the left in criticizing former President Barack Obama for not pushing hard enough for large-scale change during his two terms in office, and the survey also found younger black primary voters slightly more likely than their elders to express disillusionment with his record.
Roughly 3 in 10 younger black Democratic primary voters agreed that Obama’s presidency “did not live up to its promise,” compared with 16 percent of black primary voters 45 and older.
That’s not to say that these younger voters doubt the power and influence that the country’s 44th president still wields.
Obama, along with former first lady Michelle Obama, was top among black figures listed in the poll, with nearly 100 percent of black voters on either side of the age-45 divide saying both were either very or somewhat influential.
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