16 Mar Voters Talk #Coronavirus and #Primaries

We hoard toilet paper and chant “social distancing, flatten the curve!” as we take on the coronavirus pestilence . . . and oh, right, it’s still a presidential election year. And our swing voter project continues.

(This most recent group took place over a week ago- which feels like a lifetime ago with the new ‘social distancing guidelines. Be assured we did not hold this group after the current guidelines went into place. Nor would we.)

Engagious traveled to Edina, Minnesota, to meet with swing voters: ten respondents who voted for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016, and one respondent who voted for Romney in 2012 and Clinton in 2016.

Key Takeaways:

• Top worries: Cost of health care; immigration; coronavirus (and why doesn’t the president seem more concerned about it?).

• Trump or Biden? 8-3 Trump.

• Trump or Bernie? 8-3 Trump.

• Why Trump: Good economy; immigration; he’s doing a good job for the country—let’s stay the course.

• Why Biden: Time for a change. He would fix the lack of diplomacy in our country.

• Why Bernie: He’s been consistent with his positions, and he’s trustworthy. Medicare for all. He was robbed in 2016, and “deserves his chance.”

• This is Minnesota. What if Biden or Bernie put Senator Klobuchar on the ticket? It wouldn’t shift any of their votes.

• 2016 do-over: Trump over Hillary 10-1. (they would all vote the same as they did in 2016)

• Obama vs. Trump hypothetical: 7-4 Trump. (3 of the Trump voters would choose Obama over trump. The one Clinton voter would also pick Obama.)

• They’re happy about the economy, but a coronavirus-triggered recession could dampen their enthusiasm. Although they say they wouldn’t blame the president for it.

• Should President Trump pressure drug companies during the coronavirus crisis? It’s probably okay to lean on them to come up with a vaccine, respondents said, but they’d be wary of the government requiring that drug companies provide free or deeply discounted drugs to treat coronavirus—it would set a bad precedent.

• Should we get rid of Trump so we can get back to our normal political civility? Civil like when Vice President Aaron Burr killed former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton? Respondents said this question sounds like a Democratic political strategy to beat Trump rather than an authentic goal.

Next month we will be talking to swing voters in Ohio.