New Odyssey Poll Shows Millennials Are Avoiding Trump Like The Plague

New Odyssey Poll Shows Millennials Are Avoiding Trump Like The Plague

An Odyssey/UMass-Lowell poll shows a majority of millennials would rather have a giant meteor hit Earth than have Trump as their president.
Odyssey Community
Odyssey Community Oct 18, 2016
2639
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Whether honesty, authenticity, and trust are missing in this usual cycle is a matter of ongoing debate, but the results of Odyssey's new poll with University of Massachusetts-Lowell paint a clear picture.

If not entirely satisfied by our candidates, our craving for meaningful, authentic opinions can be satisfied by the Odyssey community, a collection of creators and readers empowered by the democratization of content. Our poll surveyed 1,247 millennials to express what they feel about this election. Some of the results were surprising, which, in this most unusual of elections, should come as no surprise.

A new Odyssey/UMass Lowell survey conducted from Oct. 10th-13th and released Tuesday shows millennials (18 to 35 year-olds) have widespread distrust of this year's presidential candidates. Seventy-seven percent of registered millennial voters say they would not describe Donald Trump as honest, while 64% would not describe Clinton as such. Despite the cynicism toward both candidates, millennials overwhelmingly support Clinton, 66% to 22% in a head-to-head matchup among likely voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/-3.2% for the full sample, +/-3.6% for registered voters, and +/-4.2% for likely voters.

Trump's unfavorable rating among registered millennial voters is massive, with 72% saying they feel strongly or somewhat unfavorable toward him. Clinton, meanwhile, has a 42% unfavorable rating and is viewed favorably by 56%.

Trump is viewed so negatively by millennials that clear majorities of them prefer some unorthodox alternatives to a Trump presidency: 67% would prefer a citizen be chosen at random over Trump; 66% would rather President Obama serve a life term; 55% would prefer a giant meteor strike the Earth, extinguishing all human life.

A majority of millennials would even prefer President Obama serve a life term over a Clinton presidency; 39% prefer a random citizen; 34% prefer the giant meteor.

When Libertarian and Green Party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein are included, making for a four-way race, Clinton's lead over Trump shrinks slightly to 61%-22%. Interestingly, replacing Clinton with Bernie Sanders in a hypothetical head-to-head against Trump yields similar results, with Clinton also polling 44 points ahead of Trump among likely voters.

Regarding the now infamous "Trump tape" in which the GOP nominee can be heard making lewd comments to a television presenter in 2005, 56% said they have listened to the audio; 45% say the tape makes them less likely to vote for Trump; 14% actually said it makes them more likely to vote for Trump; 41% said it makes no difference, which may be due to the fact that 87% of Clinton voters and 81% of Trump voters say that their minds on the election have already been made up.

The Odyssey/UMass-Lowell poll also found that replacing Trump on the ballot with his running mate Mike Pence would make little difference among millennials.

Sixty-three percent say Trump should drop out of the race, including one-third of Republicans. However, when we replaced Trump with Pence, the Republican ticket doesn't fare much better. In a head-to-head matchup against Clinton, Pence trails 63%-21%, which is only two points better than Trump's performance vs. Clinton in a head-to-head.

Clinton's three to one advantage over Trump among younger voters is even larger than Barack Obama's margins of victory against John McCain in 2008 (34 points) and Mitt Romney in 2012 (24 points).

Please direct any questions or media inquiries about this poll to Michael Luciano at mike@theodysseyonline.com.

Cover Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Odyssey Community
Odyssey Community Oct 18, 2016
At Odyssey

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I'm The Girl Who'd Rather Raise A Family Than A Feminist Protest Sign

You raise your protest picket signs and I’ll raise my white picket fence.
Ellie Winters
Ellie Winters Oct 2, 2017
440724
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Social Media feeds are constantly filled with quotes on women's rights, protests with mobs of women, and an array of cleverly worded picket signs.

Good for them, standing up for their beliefs and opinions. Will I be joining my tight-knit family of the same gender?

Nope, no thank you.

Don't get me wrong, I am not going to be oblivious to my history and the advancements that women have fought to achieve. I am aware that the strides made by many women before me have provided us with voting rights, a voice, equality, and equal pay in the workforce.

SEE ALSO: To The Girl Who Would Rather Raise A Family Than A Feminist Protest Sign

For that, I am deeply thankful. But at this day in age, I know more female managers in the workforce than male. I know more women in business than men. I know more female students in STEM programs than male students. So what’s with all the hype? We are girl bosses, we can run the world, we don’t need to fight the system anymore.

Please stop.

Because it is insulting to the rest of us girls who are okay with being homemakers, wives, or stay-at-home moms. It's dividing our sisterhood, and it needs to stop.

All these protests and strong statements make us feel like now we HAVE to obtain a power position in our career. It's our rightful duty to our sisters. And if we do not, we are a disappointment to the gender and it makes us look weak.

Weak to the point where I feel ashamed to say to a friend “I want to be a stay at home mom someday.” Then have them look at me like I must have been brain-washed by a man because that can be the only explanation. I'm tired of feeling belittled for being a traditionalist.

Why?

Because why should I feel bad for wanting to create a comfortable home for my future family, cooking for my husband, being a soccer mom, keeping my house tidy? Because honestly, I cannot wait.

I will have no problem taking my future husband’s last name, and following his lead.

The Bible appoints men to be the head of a family, and for wives to submit to their husbands. (This can be interpreted in so many ways, so don't get your panties in a bunch at the word “submit”). God specifically made women to be gentle and caring, and we should not be afraid to embrace that. God created men to be leaders with the strength to carry the weight of a family.

However, in no way does this mean that the roles cannot be flipped. If you want to take on the responsibility, by all means, you go girl. But for me personally? I'm sensitive, I cry during horror movies, I'm afraid of basements and dark rooms. I, in no way, am strong enough to take on the tasks that men have been appointed to. And I'm okay with that.

So please, let me look forward to baking cookies for bake sales and driving a mom car.

And I'll support you in your endeavors and climb to the top of the corporate ladder. It doesn't matter what side you are on as long as we support each other, because we all need some girl power.

Cover Image Credit: Unsplash
Ellie Winters
Ellie Winters Oct 2, 2017
At Grand Canyon University

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Dear America, We Can Step Forward As A Country If We Stop Believing That Only One Belief Is Valid

It's time to promote unity and emphasize our commonalities because only through unity can we step forward as a country.

Shanru Xu
Shanru Xu Jan 22, 2019
90
views

Dear America,

2018 was a year of political strife and conflict. The left and the right fought constantly. Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for the tiniest mistakes, and there were only a small number of successful bipartisan deals. Politicians and citizens alike seemed more concerned with sticking to party platforms, even ones they truly didn't believe in, rather than compromising with the other side to improve our society.Yet all this name-calling and hatred — what does it do in the end? What does it accomplish?

We've only seen an increased polarization of American politics and an expanded hostility towards "the other side." We don't consider the well-being of each and every person in America and the bettering of our society, or the building of a stronger world for our children and grandchildren.

We spend so much time insulting each other's political beliefs that we forget probably the most important fact that links us all together: We are all human. We all share the same basic needs, the same struggles, the same moments of happiness and sadness.

And yet we are willing to put our similarities aside and only focus on our differences. We are willing to thrust ourselves into the deep anger and loathing that comes in attacking those different from us. We are willing to parry insults behind the safety of a phone screen and forget all about what makes us alike. And we are willing to gloss over the fact that we have more similarities than differences.

SEE ALSO: Dear Trump, Thanks For Transforming Me Into A Responsible, Educated Citizen

Yes, political beliefs make a person. Political beliefs define the values, ideas and thoughts of a person. But sometimes, we have to reach over those beliefs, as hard as that may be, and focus on the bigger picture at hand. What will insulting someone because of those beliefs do? It definitely won't change their views or make them see things from your point of view.

It's sad and frustrating that this endless fighting doesn't even occur between two countries or two governments or two nation-states. Instead, we see arguments and strife between two family members, two neighbors or even two strangers, all living in the same community and under the same government, all sharing more similarities than differences.

We need to stop focusing so much on singular ideas. We need to stop believing in the close-minded idea that only one thought is the best thought. And instead of wasting energy trying to change other's opinions, we need to use that energy and time to promote unity and emphasize our commonalities.

These past few years have truly divided America. Let's make 2019 a year of unity, because only through unity can we step forward as a country.

Shanru Xu
Shanru Xu Jan 22, 2019
At Alpharetta, Georgia

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