What word best describes how you feel
things are going in the country? What word best describes
how you feel things are going
in the country?
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent
In November nearly half of Latino voters selected Donald Trump for president — a decisive change from 2016 and 2020.
In Opinion’s latest focus group, we spoke with 11 of these voters, from all walks of life, about the past, present and future; why they selected Mr. Trump; what they thought of his presidency and its intense change; and whether they would consider voting for a Democrat in the future.
There was real positivity in this group about what makes America good and distinct. But a lot of the discussion involved significant dissatisfaction with the way things are going in the country, as well as with the Democratic Party (which promises a lot but doesn’t deliver, according to many participants, and is too far left, according to a few).
Many participants expressed continued dissatisfaction with the economy, especially concerning the costs of living and housing.
Especially deep was the conversation about identity, immigration and Mr. Trump’s significant changes to U.S. deportation policies. Many in this group criticized former president Joe Biden’s handling of the border and migration, and some spoke positively of Mr. Trump’s policies so far. But several expressed doubts or sharp unhappiness with the direction Immigration and Customs Enforcement has taken.
“When he ran, the main concern was the bad guys,” one of the participants said. “Now all I’m hearing about is people getting dragged out of work areas, construction sites. I don’t really think that that’s where the bad guys are at.”
Participants
Abigail 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
Adrianna 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
Angela 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
Christopher 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
Esteban 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
Guillermo 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
Jeanette 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
Joe 69, Colo., Republican, retired
Jose 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
Kevin 32, Ga., independent, event manager
Meranda 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Transcript
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
What is one word that describes how you feel about how things are going in the country these days?
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
Bad.
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
Improving.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
Great.
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
Unpredictable.
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
Better.
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
Rocky.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Conflicted.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
Skeptical.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
Unsafe.
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
Worrisome.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
Worried.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Meranda, tell me what you feel conflicted about.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Any time I try to get any information from either side, I feel there’s not always a lot of credible information or I don’t get the whole picture. My husband’s side of the family is one party, my side of the family is a different party, and my husband and I aren’t particularly either. I try to get all the information, but it’s very difficult because everybody’s so biased or so radicalized one way or another.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
I said things were going great because I believe the tariffs put in a more equitable trade with these countries who have for so many years have taken advantage of the U.S.A.
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
My biggest concern is the cost of just basic needs. In the time that I’ve started working, going to school, I’ve seen the prices of everything jump up. I voted for Donald Trump initially because he promised to help the working class, but from what I’ve been seeing, I don’t think we’re anywhere close to seeing any benefit from the policies.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Next Fourth of July will be the 250th birthday of the United States. What does the idea of America mean to you?
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
We’re one of the very few nations where you literally have the ability to do what you want to do. The country doesn’t really stop you. I can say what I feel, and I’m not going to get killed or arrested. If you want to get a better job, there’s opportunities to do so. When I wanted to open a small business, it took me just two days to do so. You can’t do that everywhere.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
There’s a lot of opportunity here that you would not be able to get in any other countries.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Both of my grandfathers came from abroad. I’ve been able to see both of them make better lives for their families that they weren’t capable of where they were born.
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
Yes, it is a land of opportunity. I served 20 years in the military. My brother’s going on 31. We deployed together. The whole America thing, it’s patriotism, it’s a land of opportunity. You can say what you want. You can do what you want. But what are you willing to sacrifice to get there?
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
America is free. I can go for a walk in my town, and I feel safe, I feel free. If I want to go visit another town, I can do that. I think this is the greatest country in the world, though one thing that would stifle freedom is every April 15, we have that stupid I.R.S. that we have to deal with. I hope Trump can deal with it and get rid of it with the tariffs.
generation will be better off or worse off? Do you think your kids, your
grandkids, the next generation
will be better off or worse off?
Adrianna,
53, N.Y., Republican
Guillermo,
66, N.Y., Republican
Jeanette,
42, Fla., Republican
Esteban,
22, Texas, Republican
Jose,
45, Ind., Republican
Kevin,
32, Ga., independent
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
Technology is advancing. It will be better. Right now, we’re just in the midst of figuring it out and trying to get through one problem at a time.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
Everything is very uncertain right now. The tariffs, they might work. I’m not saying they won’t. But if you look at the cost of everything right now, basic things, can you guys imagine what it’s going to be like in 10 years? National debt, what is it going to be like in 10 years? What are we actually doing for our kids to give them a better future?
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
I think future generations will be better off. When my parents came here from Puerto Rico, they reaped what they sowed. They left me and my sister money, and they’re still living. I’m going to do the same thing for my children. I’m going to leave them double the amount. If you’re not doing anything and worrying that things are going to be negative, then you’re not going to get nowhere. You got to hustle in the United States.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Do you think society these days embraces the values that you do?
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
Not at all. No, I don’t think they value what I value. I’m very conservative. There’s just a lot of chaos. People are lost.
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
I am also very conservative. I have a deep faith. And I think our religious freedoms are being eroded away. But I am optimistic. I think things could change.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
What makes you optimistic that things could change?
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
We have a good president. If Congress will just get behind him and back him up, I think there’s a lot of good he could do for us.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
When I say “Donald Trump,” what’s the first word that comes to people’s minds?
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
Arrogant.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
Aggressive.
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
He’s not a pushover.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
Uncensored.
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
Resilient.
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
Unpredictable.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Are you thinking about politics and Trump a lot these days? Or not so much, it’s not an election year, etc.?
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
You can’t miss it. It’s all over the news. Social media. It’s everywhere.
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
To me, if it doesn’t affect my life directly, I concentrate on what I can control. I have things to do, responsibilities. So if it’s not affecting me directly, I don’t think about it that much.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
A lot of things that he does and says creates either a positive in the stock market or a negative. So people like me that are retired, we’re not looking to lose too much money. So it’s in the forefront for me because I’m always worried about whether he’s going to do something that’s going to shock the stock market.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Was voting for Trump an easy decision or a hard decision? How long did you think about it?
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Kamala Harris had flip-flopped on a lot of issues. When I looked into her history, I felt like she kind of just went wherever she thought was going to get her somewhere. I felt like she wasn’t always clear as to the action she was going to take, the pledges she was going to make. We also didn’t vote for her to be a candidate. Between her and Trump, I went with the one that I thought would hopefully give my son a better life.
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
I definitely went with Trump. I was happy that he was running again. Hearing Kamala, when you actually listen, because there’s a difference between listening and hearing, she didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
It was pretty easy to decide to vote for Trump. My household is mostly Republican, and it was my first election. I felt like we would have been in turmoil.
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
It was a pretty easy decision for me, too. I thought Trump had us going in the right direction before. Under the past administration, I was very worried for my grandchildren as to what was going to happen to them. I felt like nothing was safe, nothing was sacred.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
If you were having conversations with family and friends about politics, were you mostly seeing eye to eye on the election? Or was there tension about it?
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
I lost two friendships of over 20 years over this. It was just heartbreaking. But I was able to have dialogues with other people that had different views, and some of them that had even the same views but had disagreements. So it was rough.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
Yeah, as a union member, I’ve always voted Democratic. My entire life. If anybody’s been a union member, they always tell you to vote Democratic. When Trump first got elected, I just felt like everyone wanted him out so bad because he was going to rock the boat. That rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t like the way he speaks, like his vocabulary, his verbiage and some of the words that he uses. But at the end of the day, he’s doing more in the first couple of months than Joe Biden did in four years. So when I changed to Republican, I felt like I did the right thing.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Is Trump’s second term going about how you expected?
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
I think he did way better in his first term because I remember during that time, everybody had money in their pockets. This time around, he made a lot of promises. He promised that he was going to end the Russia-Ukraine war the first day. He hasn’t done that. He said he was going to cut the military budget in half. He hasn’t done that. So he just talked a lot, and he has made a lot of promises. I voted for him, and I’m kind of disappointed that a lot of the stuff that he said he was going to do, he hasn’t done yet. I just got my energy bill raised out of nowhere, and I haven’t changed how much I consume.
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
I think he is eventually going to make well on everything he said. But it’s just not going to happen overnight. Rome wasn’t built in a day. We just got to give it a little bit more time. I have seen major changes since he’s been in versus the height of the migrant situation in New York City.
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
It’s been about what I expected. He’s done a lot already. Has it been smooth? No. But I think that he’s noticed that four years go by really quickly. And when you have to go through the hoops of approval from Congress and so forth, you got to start doing things quickly. Four years go by really fast. Once the snowball starts going down the hill, it’s going to go faster.
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
I voted for Trump because he’s powerful. He is arrogant, but he is powerful. He says, “I am going to do this. I am going to do this. I am going to do this.” And I feel like he is going to follow through. I mean, he’s talking about securing our border. I am big on securing the border. Not big on the deportation aspect of it, but he’s done what he’s said he’s going to do.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
What differences do you see between when Trump was president before and when Trump is president now?
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
Oh, definitely. I feel like in his first term, he wasn’t a politician. He was a businessman coming into the political arena. The way the Democrats went after him, I feel like his time was spent just defending himself for four years instead of getting work done. The second term, he came in knowing exactly what to expect. He’s just on a roll.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
How do you think the economy is going for the country in general these days?
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
It’s not going good. Prices are going up. Nobody’s paychecks are really going up. Things that once seemed pretty affordable now seem almost unattainable. A decent vacation costs a great deal. But I believe, in time, it will balance itself out. Right now, we’re just on a little shaky ground financially.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
When do you think the economy is likely to turn around?
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
I don’t think anybody can put a time stamp on it. I just wish it’d be sooner rather than later.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
It could be a lot worse, but you used to be able to buy steaks. We’re all hoping these tariffs and everything work. But will they? When?
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
I bought a house during Trump’s first term. Interest rates were low. Nowadays, if you want to buy a house, it’s almost impossible because interest is just hitting you in the head. I hope it gets better. I voted for him because I thought the economy was great before Covid.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
Inflation is rising higher than what salaries can keep up with. You go to the grocery store, it’s crazy. I’m in California, so gas prices — crazy. I think we’re hurting. I think the economy is really bad.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
It feels like a roller coaster. I saw it most when I got a notice that some of my 401(k) had dropped because the tariffs started. It’s an aggressive play. It’s very bold. I just hope everything plays out as it’s intended.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
What do you think Donald Trump’s plan or strategy is to get the cost of living under control or to get the economy in a good place?
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
We’re one of the largest consumer bases in the world. We’re going to get what he wants eventually. If these businesses do come back, we’re going to have high prices for a little bit, but it’ll eventually come down because he’s going to give them credits to have them coming back to the United States. If mortgage rates come down, that’ll help. Economies are bad all over the world right now. We’re still doing better than other countries.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
He has a good plan. The problem is that he’s going to be gone in three and a half years. So these businesses, he wants them to build factories here, create jobs here and build here and buy here. But when he leaves office, are they going to continue? Because that’s a lot of money to build a factory to make cars. They got to know that it’s going to continue through another president.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Who else do you hear talk about the economy in a way that makes a lot of sense to you?
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican, corrections
I’m a Dave Ramsey person. I know him and Trump had an interview. I set short-term goals, long-term goals. But it’s just a matter of a mind-set of how to steward our money.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
Mike Bloomberg. He did some smart things when he was elected. He has a smart mind for business.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
I like Marco Rubio. I hope he runs after Trump.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Tell me why.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
I like his policies. He was my first pick before Trump in 2016. I’m so glad that Trump put him on, because now he gets the level of experience needed as the secretary of state and he’ll make those connections worldwide. I think he’s just primed for that position, even over JD Vance. And I’m not saying it because he’s Hispanic, but of course, that would be cool.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Does anybody else have any names of somebody who you’ve got your eye on for the 2028 election who you like a lot?
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
I also like what Marco Rubio has done. If he continues with that, if he runs for president, he’s got my vote on the next term. I personally hope that there’s a way that they could find, after what they’ve done to Trump, that they could find a way to get Trump back in for another term. If he’s still sound of mind, I think our country is going to just boom out of this world.
Marco Rubio for president, who would you pick? If you had to choose between JD Vance and Marco Rubio for president, who would you pick?
Esteban,
22, Texas, Republican
Jeanette,
42, Fla., Republican
Adrianna,
53, N.Y., Republican
Christopher,
28, Pa., Republican
Guillermo,
66, N.Y., Republican
Joe,
69, Colo., Republican
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
What does a good standard of living look like for someone living in the United States?
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
Safer, better roads. Better infrastructure. People not going broke because they’ve gotten sick.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
Feeling confident about your finances, having easy access to health care, finding things affordable, easily accessible, not being concerned on what’s going to happen with your money tomorrow. Safety. Just having a good and strong support system.
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
I think about opportunity. This is America, and you have to hustle and work, yes, but also, sometimes, if someone doesn’t have the advantages of being given money from their parents who were successful, then it’s hard to even have any opportunity. Minimum wage, for example — it’s unrealistic to think you could live off of that. We need more social mobility. People who are on the bottom stay on the bottom. Let’s help strengthen our weakest links economically.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
I think a good standard of living is having these financial dreams that are attainable. I look at my parents, who don’t own a home. And it’s very hard for them to, even though they both work. It’s just not affordable right now. I look at my husband — one day, we would like to buy a home. But that doesn’t feel particularly attainable in the future. Opportunity is not easy. It’s something you have to work for. You have to achieve. But you also want these things to be something to look forward to actually achieving in the future, not a burdensome worry about whether it’s even possible.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
How do people think Trump is doing on immigration?
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
I think it’s very aggressive and intimidating. I can just imagine how frustrated and terrified people would be if you have ICE coming into your classroom and “Oh, you’re being deported.” Maybe there’s a better way to handle these immigration issues. It’s very bold. I agree to a certain extent with his policies, but yet you have to have some kind of understanding of what these people are going through. It’s just very confusing right now.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
What’s going on right now, it’s very aggressive. When he ran, the main concern was the bad guys. Now all I’m hearing about is people getting dragged out of work areas, construction sites. I don’t really think that that’s where the bad guys are at. These are people that are working, helping the economy. If anybody has gone through any immigration process, they’ll understand that it’s not an easy process to go through. We have to do something for the people who have been here a long time and who are good for society. The last administration, they just let anybody in. It was like a slap in the face to everybody that was going through the immigration process at the moment. Anybody that’s been here from other generations knows nothing was ever handed down to any of us. A lot of our families lived in the shadows for many years until we became legal and stuff like that. Seeing people and their kids going through that fear right now and knowing that anything could happen to their parents — it’s kind of stressful to me at this time right now.
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
We want to say we’re a land of opportunity. We want to support immigration, but we can’t just let everybody in. It’s not like I want to close the door on the future generations, but there has to be a process. You have to go through it the right way. And then when you do get here, you have to contribute. You have to play your part. What I am against is an unsecure border, where everybody’s just coming in and everybody’s getting that government aid. That was the thing that really upset me. But now everybody that’s being deported — they’re contributing to their work sites. They’ve made a life here. They’re showing that they’re people in society worth keeping, right? They’re not the bad guys. So why are we getting rid of them? Why are we treating them as such? They’re already in and have been in the U.S. Let’s get that process rolling for them to become a citizen. Let’s reform the process of what it means to get your citizenship, make it easier for those who will contribute. That’s what you need, people who are going to contribute to society. And guess what. If people immigrate from other places and they don’t take the opportunity or committed a crime, they didn’t appreciate the opportunity, OK, deportation could be on the table.
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
I have to start right at the beginning: If they came here illegally, they broke the law. They don’t belong here. I’m all for anybody who wants to come to the United States. Come here. But go through the channels. Come here legally, then become a productive member of society. Don’t get on food stamps, welfare, Medicaid and all that stuff.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
On immigration, do you think Trump has gone too far, not gone far enough or gotten it right?
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican, administrator
Everybody has their own story and what they’ve gone through or other people that they know have gone through. And my circle, everyone’s come here legally. The undocumented workers, they do contribute. Yes, they pay rent, their tax contribution by purchasing. But on the other end, when you’re not here legally and let’s say you need health care, and emergency care is provided under federal law — you have to see that person, whether it’s documented or undocumented. That’s where the cost of an illegal immigrant starts costing the economy of that area. What you see in the media is like, “Oh, they’re getting rid of people without even doing a background check. How do they know that they’re illegal?” And they say, “Oh, no, I’m a citizen.” And then they still kind of deport them. You see all this fake news. I don’t know what to believe anymore. But I think it’s been about right.
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican, business owner
I agree with Jeanette. That’s very well said. My biggest fear in the past administration — how many terrorists walked through our borders? And will we know? Or we won’t find out until there’s another 9/11 that many of them were starting cells all around our country, and they all came in during the last administration. But we won’t find out because they’re taking their time building their bombs or doing whatever because they hate Americans.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
Some of these people who are being put in these horrible places, we haven’t actually proved that they’re bad people. That’s where I feel like it’s going a little bit too far. If we believe in the American justice system, where people are innocent until proven guilty, why are we treating these people this way and just assuming because they have tattoos or because of one claim? We wouldn’t do that to other people. I’m OK with deporting people who are terrorists or have done awful things. I just feel we have to know for sure before we traumatize their children, before we put them in a place that we can’t get them back, a place where they can perhaps even die or be treated awfully.
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
The bad people that need to go need to go. I don’t feel bad for them. But separating families, these people who came through the right channels to be here — to see what’s happening to them, it’s heart wrenching.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
I think one of the biggest issues for the Democrats was that — and I think that’s the reason they lost a lot of the Hispanic vote — they’ve promised many reforms for immigration for years. They promise, promise, promise. And nothing ever got done. I think the last president that did something about it was Ronald Reagan. Yes, get rid of the bad people. The terrorists, anybody that’s here to do harm to any Americans, get them out of here. But if you’re already here, it’s like, I get it — you already broke the law. But if you’re here being good to society, there has to be something that we can do to get this issue solved.
Moderator, Katherine Miller
Do you think that Latino voters and immigration are kind of unfairly linked, by the media or politicians or anyone else?
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
That’s true.
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican, corrections
I typically stay away from telling anybody who I’m voting for because I don’t want to get into the conversation of politics. But any time I’ve ever been there, “Oh, you’re going for Trump? He doesn’t like Mexicans.” So they’re going to tell us everything that we want to hear. I felt that more so from the Democratic Party this time. “We’re going to do this for the minorities — this and that and this and that.” For one, I don’t think they’re going to follow through with what they’re saying. But it also seems like I lose my importance as an individual and what I care about versus what they think I do.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
A couple of you have mentioned this idea of politicians trying to speak to voters as Latino voters or as Hispanic voters, sort of putting that identity at the forefront of their message. What do you think about how politicians have or have not done that well?
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican, retired
Yeah, I get so tired when we hear these politicians catering to Hispanics, Latinos. I’m Hispanic. I’m a Latino. Don’t cater to me. Just cater to people. I don’t think they need to cater to Blacks or whites or anybody. We’re human beings. Just cater to the human beings. Do what’s going to be right for all people, not just a certain group of people.
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican, transportation
I don’t think any candidate should be catering to any ethnicity at this point, because if you’re voting, you’re obviously a U.S. citizen. You’re not Mexican anymore. You’re an American. So if anything, cater to the American people. Don’t go after people because of their ethnicity or whatever the case may be.
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican, information technology
I think it’s a very cheap trick just to get a plus 1 on the party that’s doing it. It’s kind of giving way for racism almost, favoritism. America first, people together. We support each other as a whole country and not just an individual part. That’s just — it’s not inclusive of everyone as a whole. It’s just not fair.
Could you see yourself voting for a Democratic candidate after Trump? Could you see yourself
voting for a Democratic
candidate after Trump? 1 person raised a hand.
Abigail, 49, Ill., Republican
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican
Angela, 58, Calif., Republican
Christopher, 28, Pa., Republican
Esteban, 22, Texas, Republican
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican
Jeanette, 42, Fla., Republican
Joe, 69, Colo., Republican
Jose, 45, Ind., Republican
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
I’ve been a Republican for a while now. I go with most of their views, not every single thing, not everything. Democrats have word salad. It’s a bunch of words thrown together. They make a beautiful salad. It looks pretty. But a lot of that stuff never comes true.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Is there anything in particular that you can think of that they’ve promised that did not come true that really bothers you?
Adrianna, 53, N.Y., Republican, customer service
When they opened the borders, just let anybody come. They kept that, and it gave them a cushion. But anything for the American people, no. No. Absolutely not. I can’t think of the last time one of them followed through on something that benefited us.
Moderator, Kristen Soltis Anderson
Meranda, you said you can imagine yourself voting for a Democrat next time.
Meranda, 28, Idaho, independent, teacher
I look at what each person stands for. Each candidate is going to be so different. I would have wanted Nikki Haley in 2024. I wouldn’t have picked Trump out of all of them. I know other people have other opinions on that. But the same thing, if there’s a Democrat who has better policies in place than a Republican, I’m going to be open to that. I don’t necessarily say, “Oh, I’m going to vote Democratic for sure next time.” I’m just open to seeing what each person has to offer and how likely they are to deliver.
Kevin, 32, Ga., independent, event manager
Yeah, I agree. I consider myself more independent. I voted Democratic before. I voted Republican. So as of now, I don’t like any Democrat. You know what I mean? But for the Republicans, I like two or three. I like Thomas Massie, Rand Paul and Josh Hawley. I’m more of a libertarian kind of guy. Right in the middle.
Guillermo, 66, N.Y., Republican, U.S. Postal Service
2024 was the first time I ever voted for a Republican. In the next election, I will probably continue. I kind of like their strategy. I like where they’re going. I feel like the Democrats are too left.