A small group of North Carolina voters who backed Joe Biden in 2020 and then Donald Trump in 2024 told moderators they feel more anxious about the economy and split on Trump’s job performance, but none said they planned to vote for Democrats as the 2026 midterms approach.
Recent online focus groups conducted by messaging firm Engagious and market research firm Sago brought together 12 North Carolina voters who said they supported Joe Biden in 2020 before switching to Donald Trump in 2024.
Seven participants identified as independents, four as Republicans and one as a Democrat.
In the sessions, half of the participants said they disapproved of Trump’s job performance. Much of that criticism centered on a perception that Trump is not sufficiently attuned to rising economic stress as the war in Iran continues. Eight of the 12 said Trump was “out of touch” with their economic concerns, and nine said they felt more economically anxious now than before Trump took office.
Even so, the focus groups suggested continued political resilience for Trump and Republicans among these voters: despite their economic worries, none said they planned to vote for Democrats in the upcoming election. NPR noted that the findings are not statistically representative, but can offer insight into attitudes that may also show up in polling.
