💡What To Know:
- Biden voters reported being happier than Trump voters.
- 56% of younger Americans say they’re dissatisfied with their lives.
- Election Day this year is November 5, 2024.
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Does your level of happiness in life influence who you’re voting for this November? A new survey conducted by Florida Atlantic University’s PolCom and Mainstreet Research has found that supporters of the Democratic party and President Joe Biden are generally happier than Americans supporting the Republican party and Donald Trump.
“Happiness is important to understand as it influences the well-being and satisfaction of citizens, which in turn shapes their voting behavior,” says Dr. Carol Bishop Mills, FAU’s communication professor, PolCom co-director, and an expert in relational communication, in a university release. “As demonstrated by Ronald Reagan’s enduring question in the 1980 presidential election, ‘Are you better off today than you were four years ago?’ capturing public sentiment toward governance and policy efficacy is critical — especially in today’s contentious political climate.”
Employing the well-established “Satisfaction with Life Scale” to measure overall happiness, the poll reveals insights into how happiness correlates with political leanings, age, and economic status. For instance, 69 percent of Democratic voters reported feeling at least “slightly satisfied” with their lives, a sentiment shared by 66 percent of Republican voters. However, the gap widens when focusing on the prospective 2024 presidential race, with 75 percent of Biden supporters expressing satisfaction, compared to 62 percent of Trump supporters.
Will younger voters break for Donald Trump?
The poll’s findings also spotlight a trend among younger voters between 18 and 34, where approximately 56 percent conveyed dissatisfaction with their lives. This discontent among younger demographics inversely mirrors their reported happiness levels, with a majority indicating a preference for former President Trump in the upcoming election cycle.
“This finding is important. Generally, young adults through the early 30s have high levels of happiness, bolstered by optimism, new experiences and independence. Then, happiness dips for mid-life periods and rebounds with the highest levels in adults over 50,” explains Mills. “Young people with high levels of unhappiness is noteworthy — and so is the level of satisfaction among older voters. We have seen a rise in depression, anxiety and mental health issues in the younger population, and it is important to take these concerns seriously.”
The survey also examined a variety of demographics, revealing that while happiness is a universal pursuit, actually finding happiness and its impact on political preferences significantly vary across income levels, race, and education. For example, higher-income respondents reported greater levels of happiness, which also translated into political support, showcasing an economic divide in voter satisfaction and preference.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the FAU/Mainstreet poll indicates a tightly contested battle between Biden and Trump, with both candidates neck and neck among voters.
Methodology
The analysis is based on the results of a survey conducted Wednesday, March 15 to Friday, March 17, with a sample of 1,053 adults, 18 years of age or older, registered to vote, and living in the United States. The survey was conducted using text message recruitment and interactive voice response to complete the survey. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.0 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. Margins of error are higher in each subsample.
StudyFinds’ Matt Higgins contributed to this report.
They’re right, I love sleepy Joe I love going to bed at night, and not worrying about what he’s going to do to destroy our democracy and our freedoms, say whatever you want about Biden but he’s a better man than Trump will ever be. Biden is getting it done for the people unlike Trump, who’s a whiny narcissist, who makes it all about himself, and only wants to win so he can pardon himself. Trump hates everybody, including his MAGA base, He’s going to kick them to the curbside Trump despises them and they are fools that he can play. True patriot Americans who stand for freedom and democracy will vote for America and that means Biden, the guy who doesn’t have his own flag because Americans only fly one flag and that is the flag of the United States of America. we don’t worship an orange Hitler, a fascist, authoritarian wannabe dictator, who pledges his allegiance to Putin slices on flag. Who’s a completely anti-American and hates everything about it true Americans we’ll fight with our votes in the polls.
Yeah honestly it must be exhausting being part of MAGA and being fed a constant stream of anger inducing emails, texts and news feeds. The entire movement thrives on rage, if folks were not so enraged they may actual start to see Trump for who and what he is, and that would be the death of the movement. I’ll be honest those who oppose MAGA will welcome you back open arms, you don’t have to feel so much hate, yes there are problems but you are being kept angry with intent, take a breath, no one is coming for you, there is no boogeyman, and if there were its name is likely Trump.
Perfectly stated!
BS. Your methods are bias.
The comments and social posting activity of the right seem to confirm this. They think everything has gone wrong, and they relate everything back to politics. Conservatives are angry and pissed all the time at everything, expecting the apocalypse to happen at any moment. That creates a lot of anxiety. How could you be conservative in America and not be miserable. That is part of the reason I left the Republican party.
This is a joke, right?Liberal Progressives are the angriest, hateful, unhappy , toxic, cancerous people you will ever meet. They are joy vampires. You could give them everything they say they want and they would still find things to be unhappy about. They seek misery out. Emotionally broken and will die alone and unhappy, most of them.
Their “methodology” is hiring left-wing pollsters to arrive at a pre-determined conclusion to imply that being a “Biden supporter” is somehow a happier life. Unfortunately that goes against the party’s fundamental mission which is, at least in theory, fighting for the underclass and the disenfranchised. This sort of “conclusion” would seem to inadvertently cast “Trump supporters” as the underclass and disenfranchised, which is maybe why the Democrats are rapidly losing their grip on power. If you are going to fund a bogus survey I would suggest putting a bit more thought into it next time.
because they’re all delusional and demented. Of course they’re happy, they don’t reside in reality.
It has been said, “Ignorance is bliss.”
It’s true we are. My family and I are doing very well. We are happy to vote for Papa Joe. I don’t know where most of you live, but in the northeast the jobs and economy is humming along nicely.
Sorry you’re stuck in miserable red state’s where the economy is tanking.
Does humming along include a 30% raise? You would need at least that to cancel out the economic damage he did.
This makes sense. We tend to be better educated, have greater wealth and aren’t bogged down by beliefs in ridiculous conspiracy theories. We don’t hate people who are different than us bc we have the capacity to realize that them living their own lives doesn’t affect us in any way. And we do not worship an angry, hatefilled, narcissistic leader who encourages people to be their most basic selves. We can think for ourselves and there is great freedom and satisfaction in that.
Thanks for the wonderful insight, Comrade. Democrats are zombies. The world is burning down around us, and you are in a state of delusional bliss. Wake up.
I like how the whining in this comment section practically confirms what the study found.
People left of center don’t obsess over politics the way the right does and they don’t let proven misinformation machines like FoxNews and Newsmax (proven with literal court filings and evidence) get them scared and angry about everyone who doesn’t conform to their view of normalcy.
The fact that Brandon and Donnie are the two main candidates for 2024 makes me depressed, anxious, and very disappointed.
i’d be happier too if i could just sit back and get a free check from the government instead of working for a living
Ignorance is bliss
You know what they say … ignorance is bliss.
Every man in a dress I’ve met was miserable. And so are most dykes
Gee Sherlock, do you think that when Trump was President the Democrats were more happy?
Do you think that if Trump wins in Nov the Biden supporters will be more happy than the Trump supporters?
Just think some people get paid to write this stuff.