Spectators at the University of Michigan football game against texas On Saturday, we’ll remember another rival before the game: Ohio State.
At the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an overhead banner funded by the Democratic National Committee will carry the message: “JD Vance <3 Ohio State + Project 2025.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Republican vice presidential nominee, who earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University, and the conservative blueprint the Heritage Foundation has laid out for a possible second Trump term.
From tailgates to kickoff, fans at four different college football games in key states will see aerial banners paid for by the Democratic National Committee on Saturday, according to details first shared with CBS News.
DNC
The DNC’s trolling comes as it seeks to keep the election top of mind for voters in key states, especially young voters.
Additional Project 2025 banners will fly at games between the University of Georgia and Tennessee Tech and Penn State and Bowling Green. At the University of Wisconsin-South Dakota game in Madison, Wisconsin, the banner will read “Jump Around! Beat Trump + Project 2025,” a nod to the football team’s fourth-quarter tradition.
“The DNC is reaching out to voters where they are,” DNC spokesman Abhi Rahman told CBS News. “These banners convey a message that resonates with fans and reminds them that the most important election is still to come in November.”
Trump and his campaign have sought to distance themselves from Project 2025, although a CBS News Analysis found that hundreds of its proposals match Trump’s past and proposed campaign promises.
Vance has alluded to the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry during his own campaign stops in Michigan.
“My Ohio brothers, guys, we have to win Michigan. It’s the most important thing in this election cycle,” he said at a July event in Grand Rapids.
Other outside political groups are also seeking to exploit the intersection between college sports and politics.
NextGen America, a nonpartisan youth voter engagement organization, is paying hundreds of student-athletes in key states to use their platforms to encourage others to vote.
The payment makes them one of the first political organizations to use the “Name, Image and Likeness” (NIL) rule, which allows athletes to monetize their personal brand.
“Sports are a fantastic way to tap into the cultural spirit of the nation,” Antion Arellano, vice president of communications for NextGen America, told CBS News.
The battle for the youth vote
Maintaining the support President Biden received from college-age voters in 2020 is critical to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign.
In 2020, Biden garnered more support than former President Donald Trump among voters ages 18 to 24 (65%) and those ages 25 to 29 (54%), according to a CBS News exit poll. Voters under 30 made up 38% of new voters in that election, according to the Pew Research Center.
But in comparison, younger voters turn out in significantly lower numbers than older voters.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voter turnout in the 2020 election was just 51.4% for 18- to 24-year-olds, compared to 76% for 65- to 74-year-olds. That’s up from 2016, when 46.1% of 18- to 29-year-olds turned out to vote.
Both candidates are supported by university outreach programs.
Turning Point USA, an organization founded to reach out to young conservative voters, has hosted Trump and Vance at several events.
The group said it has focused on raising awareness of Greek life on campuses in Arizona and Wisconsin, in addition to having booths at student tailgates on college game days. Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk also plans to visit more than 22 campuses in key states. Some of its visits so far in Arizona and Wisconsin have included open debates with students, and the organization says that has led to hundreds of new voter registrations.
Earlier this month, the Harris campaign launched a “Back-to-School” campaign targeting 150 college campuses in key states with ads on social media and in campus newspapers, spokesperson visits, and a doubling of its youth engagement staff. They’re also running ads during college football games this fall.
According to a CBS News poll conducted in August, voters under 30 are overwhelmingly leaning toward Harris. The number of young black women registered to vote has also increased by 175% since the vice president became a candidate, according to data firm TargetSmart.
But young voters are also the group with the lowest ratings in terms of saying they will “definitely” vote in November, according to the CBS News poll.
Interactions with social media influencers and content creators have also been common this cycle. The Democratic National Convention over 200 accredited influencers to attend in person, with some interviewing Harris or her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Trump himself has appeared on several podcasts or streaming shows aimed at a younger audience.
Earlier this summer, he appeared on internet celebrity Adin Ross’s stream. His appearance was criticized by Democratic critics who pointed to Ross’s hosting of white supremacist Nick Fuentes on his show, as well as his ties to social media influencer Andrew Tate, who has faced allegations of human trafficking with minors.
“Act now, all you young people,” Trump told viewers of Ross’ show.
