Young Americans share their top concerns for the nation ahead of debate
College students share what their top issues are ahead of the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump.
Young Americans across the country called issues like the economy and global unrest their top concerns ahead of the ABC News Presidential Debate, while offering mixed views on hot-button topics like electric vehicles and reparations.
Voters on college campuses in Washington, D.C, Milwaukee, Detroit and Houston cited the economy, immigration and foreign policy as their top issues in interviews with Fox News Digital.
Some young Americans also said they would support far-left policies that Vice President Kamala Harris had previously championed but now has backed away from or remains silent on, such as an electric vehicle mandate and some form of reparations for Black Americans.
"I would say, definitely, inflation and rent prices, the housing crisis is something that I think the Biden administration didn't really tackle nearly enough. So, domestically, I would definitely say that," Alex, a student at George Washington University who described himself as "far to the left" told Fox News Digital. He added that securing a ceasefire in Gaza was another top concern for him.
College students across the United States spoke with Fox News Digital about the direction of the country and some of Vice President Kamala Harris' policy positions. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Giacomo, a student at Marquette University in Milwaukee, said that immigration and foreign policy were his top concerns this election, and he was opposed to any candidate who wanted to take the U.S. into another war.
"Be a peace candidate, not a pro-war candidate, and then crack down on immigration. That would win my vote," he said.
"It's just concerning," Ernest, a George Washington University student originally from Philadelphia, said about global unrest.
"One reason, the wars that's going on, that's going on across over the oceans, also like the inflation that's going on in our country have been taking place since 2020 while Joe Biden was in office. I feel those are two main issues right now," he said.
Voters had mixed reactions when asked if they would support a federal push to mandate electric vehicles and if they supported reparations.
Voters weighed in on Vice President Harris' past support for an EV mandate and reparations. (AP/Stephen B. Morton)
Atinuke, a student at the University of Houston, said she supported reparations but that she didn't think an electric vehicle mandate was a good idea.
"Some people can't afford it," she said.
"Older people aren't going to go for that. My grandpa can't work an iPhone, how is he going to work an electric car?" Riley, another student at the University of Houston said of an electric vehicle push.
Voters were more supportive of reparations or other ways to help Black Americans.
A Tesla charges at an electric vehicle charging station in New York.
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"I mean, I feel like most of our people, Black people, in general, we mostly built the USA," Joshua, from the University of Houston said. "I just think we need to be noticed more… but not necessarily being paid for being Black," he continued.
University of Houston student Cameron said he would support reparations for Black Americans but realized there would be a financial cost.
"Money doesn't just fall out of the sky so it would have to come from somewhere," he said.
Wayne State University junior Gabe had doubts Harris was serious about reparations and said it seemed like an idea politicians throw out to gain a few votes.
"I don't think she's really serious about it. I don't think really anybody is serious about it. We had Barack Obama as a Black president and there was no real talks about reparations even then," he said. "It's not really going to happen."
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Harris added policies to her campaign website this week for the first time since emerging as the Democratic presidential candidate last month.
Her website does not currently mention her stance on reparations or electric vehicle mandates. However, during her presidential bid in 2019, Harris, then a U.S. senator representing California, said she supported "some form of reparations" and backed legislation to study the matter further.
Her campaign website does tout that she wants to keep investing to create "high-quality union jobs in the electric vehicle and battery supply chains."
Harris also previously ran on a climate policy platform that sought to require all cars made in the US to be electric by 2035.
Her campaign put out a statement last week indicating she "does not support an electric vehicle mandate," a main component of the Green New Deal that Harris also claims to still support. The Harris campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for clarification last week on her policy position.
The Harris campaign did not reveal her position on reparations when asked Wednesday by Fox News Digital, despite growing anticipation from progressive advocates after California lawmakers withdrew their reparation bills last week.
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Fox News' Ashley Carnahan, Alec Schemmel, Nikolas Lanum and Jamie Joseph contributed to this article.
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