Focus groups: Trump swing voters blame both sides for government shutdown
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Most Pennsylvania swing voters in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups — who all voted for President Trump in 2024 — say Republicans and Democrats deserve equal blame for the federal government shutdown.
Why it matters: Assessments like this are a gut-check for Democrats who think Americans' desire for affordable health care gives them a political halo to demand extensions of COVID-era assistance — and for Republicans who think if they don't budge the public will eventually just blame Democrats.
Driving the news: As the shutdown winds through week four, nine of 13 Biden-to-Trump swing voters said both major parties deserve equal blame; three blamed Democrats more; and one blamed Republicans more. Four said the shutdown already has impacted them personally.
- "When I turn the news on, I hear the Republicans are blaming the Democrats, the Democrats are blaming the Republicans," said Brenda S., 60, of Philadelphia.
- "And it's both of their faults, and they don't care about us," she said. "They're all wealthy and they have good lives, but they don't care about us. What's going to happen when the people don't get their food stamps in November? How are they going to eat?"
How it works: Axios observed two online focus groups Tuesday night with 13 Pennsylvanians who voted for Joe Biden in 2020, then Donald Trump in 2024. Eight are independents, four are Republicans, and one is a Democrat.
- A focus group is not a statistically significant sample like a poll, but the responses show how some voters are thinking and talking about current events.
What they're saying: "Words such as 'contemptuous' and 'scornful' can't fully capture these swing voters' deep despair and disgust over Congress's inertia during the shutdown," said Engagious president Rich Thau, who moderated the focus groups.
Zoom out: While all 13 participants voted for President Trump last November, only six now say they approve of his administration's overall actions. Eight say they're more anxious about the economy now than when Trump took office, while three are less anxious.
- Six support Trump's tariffs. "I just think he is at least trying something," said James N, 40, of Bechtelsville.
- Six say the president isn't doing enough to tackle inflation. "Inflation doesn't affect him," said Kinita B., 34, of Tamaqua. "He's too busy playing hopscotch in Russia. I dunno. He's just not worried about anything over here."
