Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a commanding lead among veterans nationwide, according to a new Pew Research Poll. This poll, conducted among 876 registered veteran voters, found that 61% support Trump or lean towards him, compared to just 37% for Vice President Kamala Harris. This trend reflects a pattern observed in the 2020 election, where Trump secured 60% of the veteran vote, while Joe Biden received 39%. Notably, the current numbers closely mirror the 2016 election results, where Trump garnered 61% of veteran votes and Hillary Clinton received only 35%.
Darin Selnick, an Air Force veteran and founder of the Veterans 4 America First Institute, attributes this strong support for Trump to the performance of the Veterans Affairs (VA) department during his presidency. Selnick highlights the passage of the Mission Act and the Accountability Acts under Trump, which allowed veterans to seek private healthcare outside the VA system and hold poorly performing VA staff accountable. He argues that veterans are dissatisfied with the current state of the VA and believe it has declined since Trump’s departure.
Beyond the VA’s performance, veterans also point to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 under President Biden as a contributing factor to their preference for Trump. The withdrawal, marked by chaotic scenes and the deaths of 13 American service members, has left a deep scar on many veterans. This sentiment is shared by Gold Star families, including Darin Hoover and Kelly Barnett, who lost their son, Sgt. Taylor Hoover, in the Abbey Gate bombing and have publicly expressed their support for Trump.
Selnick emphasizes the importance of understanding veteran perspectives not only during election season but also throughout the year, especially with Veterans Day approaching. He believes that veterans’ opinions should be valued and considered not just during election cycles but on a continuous basis. He reminds us that veterans, while a smaller percentage of the overall population, hold significant influence through their families, friends, and those who support the military. Their views, therefore, have broader implications for the electorate as a whole.
The poll’s findings underscore the impact of specific policies and events on veterans’ voting decisions. The VA’s performance under Trump and the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal under Biden have clearly resonated with this critical demographic. With Veterans Day just around the corner, it’s a timely reminder to listen to the voices of those who have served our country and understand the issues they consider most important.
