California’s United States Senate race is heating up, and two Democratic front-runners, Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Katie Porter (D-CA), are emerging with distinct patterns of support among different age groups.
Three high-profile Democrats are vying for the seat once held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Feinstein, the longest-serving female senator in history, died in September. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) joins Schiff and Porter in the packed Senate race, along with former baseball star Steve Garvey, who is running as a Republican.
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A clear generational divide has become evident in polls, as Porter, a 49-year-old congresswoman from Irvine, has captured the attention of voters under 50. Comparably, Schiff, a 63-year-old congressman representing Los Angeles, holds an advantage among older voters.
Porter is a progressive member who flipped a historically Republican region in 2018. She’s gone viral for using a whiteboard in several high-profile congressional hearings, often using it as a tool to break down numbers or topics to Republican members of Congress or other witnesses — the move appeals to young voters who use social media platforms like TikTok. According to an August poll by Data for Progress, voters ages 18 to 34 have favorable views of politicians who make pop culture references or use memes — supporting those who have an active social media presence.
Schiff was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, and he has 18 more years of political experience in the chamber than Porter. The turnout of voters over age 45 has always outpaced that of younger people, and they often value experience and seniority when electing officials. However, younger voters are showing up more often — increasing the most of any age group in the 2020 presidential election.
Porter is leading Schiff with voters under 40, garnering 45% to his 14%, according to a Berkeley-IGS poll conducted from Oct. 24 to Oct. 30. Twenty-eight percent of respondents over 65 favored Schiff, compared to 14% for Porter.
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A Public Policy Institute of California survey conducted from Oct. 3 to Oct. 19 produced similar results, with Porter leading Schiff 26% to 16% among voters under 45. Respondents 45 and older favored Schiff, supporting him at a rate of 24% compared to Porter’s 13%. Lee received 9% from both groups.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the campaigns of Schiff and Porter for comment.
