ABC News Daily

The voters who could swing the US election

Sep 26, 2024

In this insightful discussion, Margaret Talev, an Axios contributor and director at Syracuse University's Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship, explores the crucial role of undecided voters in swing states. She highlights their confusion and apathy towards politics, despite economic concerns looming large, particularly around inflation and wages. Reproductive rights also emerge as a key issue, especially among women. Talev underscores the challenge candidates face in effectively engaging this disengaged demographic using populist messages and innovative strategies.

15:13

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Margaret Talev

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Quick takeaways

Undecided voters are crucial in swing states, with the economy being their top concern influencing their voting decisions.

Many undecided voters are disengaged from political news, complicating their understanding of candidates' positions on key issues like reproductive rights.

Deep dives

The Profile of Undecided Voters

Undecided voters in the U.S. represent a distinct and perplexing group within the electorate, often expressing feelings of disengagement and confusion about the candidates. Many of them display skepticism toward the political system, with some stating they feel their vote does not matter or likening the choice between candidates to selecting the lesser of two evils. It was noted that this group consists of various individuals, some of whom are genuinely torn between options, while others are simply uncertain about whether they will participate in the election at all. These undecided voters often lack a clear preference and may be swayed by external factors, including the candidates' perceived abilities to resolve key issues that matter to them.

Intro

2min

The Critical Role of Undecided Voters in Electing Outcomes

2min

The Economic Dilemma of Undecided Voters

4min

Voter Confusion and Key Issues

5min

Challenges in Mobilizing Disengaged Voters

2min

Given the stark difference between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris it’s hard to fathom there are some Americans still struggling to decide who they’ll vote for in just six weeks’ time.

But while they’re disengaged, and often confused, it’s these undecided voters who could swing the result.

Today, we look at who they are and what they’re saying with Margaret Talev, Axios contributor and director of Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship.

Margaret Talev explains that undecided voters are crucial in swing states, where even a small percentage can determine the outcome.

She highlights that while the economy is the top issue for these voters, reproductive rights are a significant concern, especially among women.

She emphasises the challenge of engaging these voters, who are generally disengaged from regular political news consumption.

Both candidates are using populist messages and scare tactics to win over these undecided voters.

Featured:

Margaret Talev, senior contributor with the news site Axios and director of Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship

Key Topics:

Undecided voters
Swing states
Economic issues
Inflation and wages
Reproductive rights
Illegal migration
2024 US Presidential Election

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ABC News Daily

The voters who could swing the US election

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Profile of Undecided Voters

The Economy as a Pivotal Issue

Confusion Over Candidate Positions

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts