Swing voters in a major battleground state noted in the latest Engagious\/Sago focus groups that they were frustrated with Democrats for prolonging the federal government shutdown, only to ultimately end it without securing a commitment from Republicans to address rising health insurance premiums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even some voters who supported President Trump last November said they still look to Democrats to safeguard health care affordability and the social safety net for lower-income Americans. But in this week\u2019s panels, seven of the 13 Biden-to-Trump swing voters in Georgia said Democrats emerged from the shutdown looking worse than Republicans. Two said Republicans looked worse, while four said both parties appeared equally at fault, according to Axios<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey gave in to the Republicans,\u201d Trilya M., 53, of Loganville, said of Democrats. \u201cThey did not stand their ground with them, and now it\u2019s going to affect the people that [have] the Affordable Care Act.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was for what?\u201d said Christine L., 54, of Peachtree City. \u201cIt really does make them look bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey always project to be a party of the people who they care about, the disenfranchised, the people who are in poverty \u2026 but their actions contradict it, they don\u2019t really care,\u201d noted Elijah T, 33, of Conyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries beat the heck out of this and wasted 41 days dragging their feet before eight Democrats finally decided enough is enough,\u201d said Brian B., 61, of Norcross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rich Thau, President of Engagious, who moderated the focus groups, told Axios: \u201cDemocrats gave swing voters \u2014 who already hold the party in profoundly low esteem \u2014 yet another reason to mistrust them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eight of the 13 participants said they still approve of the administration\u2019s overall performance since President Trump returned to office in January. The five who expressed disapproval pointed to inflation, high food prices, concerns about the job market, aggressive immigration enforcement, and a perception that the administration has not approached its governing responsibilities with sufficient seriousness, Axios reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Axios observed two online focus groups Tuesday night with 13 Georgia voters who supported Joe Biden in 2020 and then backed Donald Trump in 2024. Nine participants identified as independents, three as Republicans, and one as a Democrat. While focus groups are not statistically representative like traditional polling, the responses offer insight into how some voters are processing current political developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eleven of the 13 said they were aware of Democrats\u2019 recent wins in off-year elections in strongly Democratic jurisdictions, including contests in Virginia, New Jersey, California, and New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Axios added:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asked what lessons Republicans should take from the defeats, their advice included spending more money in races against Democrats, appealing more to the political center, \u201cdon\u2019t rest on your laurels\u201d and \u201cget a better stance on what\u2019s going on and what people want to have done.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Their advice to Democrats: \u201cDon\u2019t go too woke,\u201d \u201cfollow through with your promises.\u201d One voter noted that \u201cmidterms are never determined by these special elections.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Of the thirteen surveyed, ten indicated they would support a constitutional amendment to establish an upper age limit for future U.S. presidents, with most suggesting a limit between 65 and 75 years old, the outlet said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A New York Post editorial board piece published on Tuesday<\/a> noted that rank-and-file Democrats are largely dispirited and frustrated after a lengthy shutdown failed to win concessions from majority Republicans on issues important to their party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n