Not Mad, Just Disappointed: Hear From Unenthused Voters
Jun 3, 2024
auto_awesome
White House correspondent, political correspondent, and senior national political correspondent discuss disenchanted voters' views on candidates, economy, negative partisanship, immigration, abortion rights, and American democracy in upcoming election.
Voters facing dilemma between choosing the lesser of two disappointments or opting for third-party candidate.
Economic concerns and nuanced views on social issues impacting voters' decisions in upcoming elections.
Deep dives
Double Disapprovers in the Election
A significant group of voters, known as double disapprovers, are those who disapprove of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In a focus group conducted with swing voters, it was found that sentiments towards Biden were less extreme compared to those towards Trump. This group poses a unique challenge in deciding their vote, contemplating between voting for the lesser disappointment or opting for a third-party candidate or staying at home.
Economic Concerns and Voting Decisions
The focus group participants expressed concerns about the economy, with many feeling the current economic situation is unfavorable. Despite acknowledging Trump's business acumen, some leaned towards him for economic management. Notably, voters' decisions are not straightforward, as trust in handling the economy can differ from their overall candidate preference.
Complex Views on Social Issues
On social issues like immigration and abortion, voters exhibited nuanced stances. While showing support for tighter immigration laws aligning with Trump's approach, they demonstrated pro-choice views on abortion. Voting decisions for these voters are influenced by a combination of factors, showcasing the complexity and unpredictability of their preferences in upcoming elections.
A huge portion of the American public doesn't like its choices this presidential cycle. So what will those voters do when they get to the ballot box? NPR partnered with Rich Thau of Engagious and Sago to put together focus groups and hear from them directly.
This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, political correspondent Susan Davis, and senior national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
This podcast was produced by Jeongyoon Han, Casey Morell and Kelli Wessinger. Lexie Schapitl was the story producer. Our editor is Eric McDaniel. Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.
Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.