Polls Show Democrats Leading Republicans Nationally and Among Young Voters Ahead of Midterms

A new New York Times/Siena University poll found likely voters preferring Democrats over Republicans by 11 points nationally ahead of this fall's midterm elections. It also found 70 percent of young voters identifying as Democrats or leaning that way, a jump from two years ago. Separately, a Harvard Youth poll found Democrats leading Republicans by 37 points among young voters who say they will definitely vote. On a generic House ballot among voters aged 18-29, Democrats led 45 percent to 24 percent, a 21-point advantage. Scarborough reacted to the Times/Siena results by calling the Democratic lead remarkable.

Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and alternative/independent outlets had. Left-leaning coverage centers on the Times/Siena poll: The New York Times focuses on the shift in young voters' party identification, while MS NOW leads with the 11-point national lead and Scarborough's reaction. Alternative coverage, from The Hill, instead reports the Harvard Youth poll and its margins among likely young voters. Both sets of outlets report Democratic advantages, but they cite different polls and different numbers. No right-leaning perspective was available for comparison.