Joe Biden's appeal to older voters could enhance Democratic prospects in Midwestern swing states By Luke Perry
Joe Biden’s post-South Carolina dominance continued in Michigan, the big prize yesterday with over one-third of the delegates in play for that evening. Obama carried Michigan in 2008 and 2012 as part of the Democratic “blue wall” in the Midwest.
Biden on Tuesday won 52.9% of the Michigan primary vote, securing 53 delegates. This is 14 more than Sanders, who won Michigan in 2016.
Turnout was up 30% compared with the 2016 primary. Biden leads all of Michigan’s 83 counties except for Ingham County, which is too close to call.
Photo from University of Michigan
Biden’s strongest showing was among older voters, besting Sanders among those 45 and older.
In 2016, 79% of Michigan voters were over 30. Trump outperformed Hillary Clinton among this group.
During Obama’s second term, party affiliation among baby boomers (age 52 to 70) and the Silent Generation (age 71 to 88) shifted from evenly divided between the two major parties to decidedly Republican.
For instance, 53% of the Silent Generation identified as Republican in 2016, and 40% as Democrat. This was a complete reversal from 1992, when Bill Clinton was elected.
Republicans have already begun to frame Biden’s age, 77, negatively. But Biden’s appeal to older voters in swing states like Michigan and Florida could be key to the Democrats’ future.
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College
