Pew: Most military veterans support Donald Trump over Kamala Harris

Pew Research Center found that military veterans consistently support Republicans by a wide margin over Democrats. For this recent survey, Pew listed both those who served on active duty as well as those who served in the reserve. More veterans have a favorable view of JD Vance than they do of Tim Walz.

From Pew Research Center:

Military veterans have long tended to affiliate with the Republican Party and support Republican candidates, and that remains the case today.

About six-in-ten registered voters who say they have served in the U.S. military or military reserves (61%) support former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, while 37% back Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in early September.

Veterans’ vote preferences are on par with past elections. In 2020, 60% of veteran validated voters cast their ballot for Trump, while 39% backed President Joe Biden. And in 2016, veterans voted for Trump over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by a similar margin (61% to 35%).

The vice presidential candidates on both tickets — Republican Sen. JD Vance and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz — have served in the armed forces. Vance was in the U.S. Marines and Walz was in the National Guard.

According to the Census Bureau, about 6% of American adults have served in the military, a substantially smaller share than a few decades ago. In 1980, about 18% of U.S. adults were veterans.

Additional Reading:

Copeland, J. (2024, September 30). Military veterans remain a Republican group, backing Trump over Harris by wide margin. Pew Research Center. Link.

Category: 2024 Election, Veterans in the news