Where Obama Has Lost Support

Young white voters:

In a close national election, movement among any group could potentially prove decisive. Young whites constituted just 11 percent of the electorate in 2008, but that's more than the entire Latino vote and nearly as much as African Americans. The GOP primary and
Obama’s decision to endorse gay marriage does not appear to have rejuvenated enthusiasm or support for Obama among a socially moderate cohort, and it is unclear what tools Democrats possess to rebuild their support. Given Obama's effort to build enthusiasm among Latino voters by halting deportations and and granting work authorization to young undocumented workers, perhaps we can expect the Obama campaign to announce a bold initiative on student loans over the next few months. Of course, even if Obama can regain the loyalty of young whites, it will still be a challenge to persuade them to vote at 2008 levels.