Ten of 12 Georgia Swing Voters Who Backed Trump Say They Regret It, NPR Focus Group Finds
Seven said Trump will push them to vote for Democrats in the midterms, the first time a majority of the monthly group said so.
Deep frustration and disappointment with President Trump are shaping how a group of key swing voters plan to cast ballots, just weeks before Election Day. NPR observed two online focus groups Tuesday night with 12 Georgians who voted for President Biden in 2020 and then for Trump in 2024. Eleven of the 12 said they were disappointed with Trump's overall job performance. Ten said they regret voting for him.
"I've been disappointed," said Charles P., 43, who identified as a Democrat. The voters took part on condition that their last names not be used. "I just don't feel like there's any positive to this administration at all," he said. "Inflation has only gotten worse, there've been more wars. The tariffs haven't done anything. It seems like we have more enemies now than ever."
Richard A., a 56-year-old Republican who has been out of work for 10 months, listed a string of complaints: "Food crisis, starting the war with Iran, inflation. ICE immigration has just torn families apart, has caused deaths. It just seems like everything has gone downhill."
The comments line up with Trump's faltering approval rating and a darkening midterm outlook for Republicans. Trump has stepped up his campaign travel in recent days, touting his record and arguing that the GOP should keep control in Washington.
The focus groups are part of NPR's Swing Voter Project, run monthly in battleground states with the messaging firm Engagious and the market research recruiter Nelson Recruiting. They are not scientific the way polls are, but they offer insight into how voters are thinking. Rich Thau, Engagious's president, who moderates the sessions, said something changed this month. For the first time this year, a majority said Trump would influence their midterm decisions. In earlier months, voters tended to say they were looking mainly at the candidates or the overall environment. "This month, seven out of 12 said that he would influence them to vote for Democrats," Thau said. "And that was new."
Karla S., 49, a Democrat, said she voted Republican in 2024 but is now done. "I've been so disappointed that I'm just going to go straight and just do Democrat, Democrat, Democrat," she said. Cedric, a 41-year-old independent, said he will not back politicians closely aligned with Trump. "I don't want to vote for a candidate that's not going to stand up to him," he said.
Ten of the 12 said they plan to vote for Georgia's incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, some specifically because he is not aligned with Trump. Some voters also hoped a Democratic Congress could bring stability to the economy. Thomas M., a 65-year-old independent, said he expects more controls on the president "with people who are not afraid to stand up to him."
