Democrats Block High Schoolers From Meeting With Marianne Williamson

Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson wants access to the disaffected young voters many believe will prove critical to Democrats' success in 2024 if she hopes to mount a successful challenge to President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.

National Democrats, however, seem to be denying her that opportunity.

In a post on Twitter earlier this week, Williamson claimed her campaign had been rebuffed in their requests to meet with several chapters of the High School Democrats of America, claiming their members were told they "could not engage with any candidates other than President Biden."

A board member with the High School Democrats of America confirmed the decision in an email to Newsweek, saying they were mirroring policies set forward by the Democratic National Committee, of which they are affiliated.

Earlier this year, the DNC indicated they would not sanction a debate between Biden and the other candidates and, at this point, is moving forward with the incumbent president as their party's de facto nominee for president.

The youth branch of their organization, board members claimed, is no different.

"The High School Democrats of America are affiliated with the DNC, as we represent their youth branch," Sohali Vaddula, the organization's communications director, told Newsweek. "Thus, just like the DNC is backing President Biden, so are we. Therefore, our state chapters are not going to be involved with the Williamson Campaign or any other candidates' campaigns besides Biden's."

It's not the first time Williamson has had trouble engaging with youth voters. While the South Carolina chapter of the Young Democrats of America has "been welcoming" to them and their message, a campaign spokesperson told Newsweek, they also claim they have been actively blocked by Young Democrats of America chapters in Georgia and Michigan, all of which have expressed to the campaign they were already solidly in support of the incumbent.

Williamson's camp, however, isn't giving up.

In an email exchange with Newsweek, the Williamson campaign claimed that barring their candidate from the opportunity to engage with those groups was a clear violation of their bylaws, which state HSDA chapters are forbidden from endorsing a Democratic candidate until they've won the respective primary election.

"The incumbent Democratic President is actively being challenged in a primary election and the response from HSDA is another attempt from the DNC to block any challengers of the incumbent Democratic President, for which many American voters have clearly expressed interest in exploring alternative candidates at the ballot box," a Williamson campaign spokesperson told Newsweek.

Ahead of the 2024 election cycle, ample polling appeared to support that claim.

An NBC News/Generation Lab poll conducted last summer found nearly three-quarters of college-aged Democratic voters did not believe Biden should run for re-election in 2024.

"We're asking for a fair and democratic process to provide American voters alternative candidate options at the ballot box reflective of their views," the Williamson campaign told Newsweek.

However, a recent Emerson College poll found Biden's approval rating was actually highest among voters between the ages of 18-34. And to a large degree, they were sticking with him in the primary.

According to the Emerson poll, in the 2024 Democratic Primary, Biden held approximately 73 percent of the vote, compared to 15 percent support for Robert Kennedy Jr. and just 3 percent for Williamson. Just 10 percent, according to the poll, planned to vote for someone else.