Survey: Romney Approval With Younger Voters Above 40 Percent for the First Time

(Newsroom America) -- The campaign of presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney got a bit more good news on Wednesday with the release of a new survey showing his support among younger voters surpassing 40 percent for the first time.

Pollster John Zogby of JZ Analytics told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday that Romney received 41 percent in his weekend poll of 1,117 likely voters, and that he is the only GOP candidate among the pool of Republicans who vied for the nomination to score so high in the 18-29 demographic.

That's key, says Zogby, because in 2008 then-candidate Barack Obama lured most of the youth vote with a younger, more hip message.

"This is the first time I am seeing Romney's numbers this high among 18-29 year olds," said Zogby. "This could be trouble for Obama who needs every young voter he can get."

Overall, the poll had Romney and Obama tied at 46 percent each.

Zogby told the paper he has been particularly focused on the youth vote in this election. In 2008, 66 percent of the demographic voted for Obama over GOP contender Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

The pollster says many younger voters who opted for the "hope and change" of Obama's campaign have become disillusioned and unemployed. Zogby, the paper said, collectively calls that group "CENGAs" for "college-educated, not going anywhere."

In Zogby's latest poll, Obama still commands most of the demographic, but that support has fallen to 49 percent.

The pollster believes Romney's selection of 42-year-old Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin helped his numbers among younger voters.

"It could be his youthfulness," said Zogby of Ryan, the paper reported.

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