“Presidential candidates hoping to attract Millennials, Hispanics and swing state voters in 2016 could be well-advised to make early education a key part of their education platform, according to the results of a new national poll showing that 76 percent of voters support the idea of spending federal money to expand public preschool.

“Commissioned for the third year running by the D.C.-based early childhood advocacy organization, First Five Years Fund, this year’s poll included several new questions including one on how favorably respondents would view a candidate interested in increasing funding for early childhood programs. Fifty-four percent said they would hold a more positive view of such a candidate.

“’It’s polling so well that there’s little downside to running on it,’ said Kris Perry, executive director of First Five Years Fund. ‘Based on the evidence, I hope a couple of them–someone on each side–will take it up.’”

 

From “Early education popular with voters, but what about candidates?” by Lillian Mongeau, The Hechinger Report, October 22, 2015