Parents see Republicans as more aligned with families and parents’ rights relative to Democrats.
January 11, 2024 – A new poll, conducted on behalf of ParentsTogether Action, a national parent and family advocacy organization, found that President Joe Biden and the Democrats across the country are in trouble with parent voters – a large and consequential constituency who may make up to 20% of the electorate.
The poll specifically examined parent voters in key battleground states – including AZ, GA, MI, NC, NH, NV, OH, PA, and WI – with a focus on the upcoming 2024 general election in November. Key findings include:
- Parents’ support for President Biden has eroded significantly since 2020.
- Of the 39% of parents who said they supported Biden in 2020, only 26% plan to vote for him in 2024, a concerning 13 point drop.
- This was particularly pronounced among moms – in 2020, 47% of moms surveyed supported Biden, but only 30% are planning to vote for Biden in 2024.
- Democrats also faced trouble in down-ballot races.
- On a generic congressional ballot in these battleground states, the poll found that Democrats are losing the parent vote to Republicans by 14 points: 36% say they will vote for all or mostly Democrats, while 50% say they will vote for all or mostly Republicans.
- The study found that the Democratic brand is facing challenges with parent voters, as they believe Republicans care more about families, which in part has led to the erosion of support.
- Among respondents, only 38% of parents think Democrats “are on the side of children and families” while 51% say the same about Republicans, a 13 point gap. Of parents who think there’s been a decline in parental rights, 56% blame Democrats.
The poll also revealed voter flexibility that offers Democrats a real path to win back parent voters. 42% of Republican-voting parents surveyed said they would consider voting for a Democrat focused on an agenda that supports families, including paid leave, the expanded Child Tax Credit, and holding Big Tech accountable.
“Republicans have waged a successful messaging war claiming that they’re the party for parents’ rights, convincing parents across party lines that they have their best interest at heart. The reality is, they’re taking away the child tax credit, blocking access to paid family leave, and stripping resources from parents of young children. Democrats need to spend the next 10 months showing parents that they’re the ones fighting for families to thrive,” said Ailen Arreaza, Executive Director of ParentsTogether.
The survey was conducted by Change Research in mid-December 2023 and included 1,016 likely 2024 voters in nine battleground states.