The use of Kamala Harris of prominent Republican Trump critics has not convinced a new focus group of voters who have supported Nikki Haley in the Gop -Presidential Primary.
But even if many of these Haley voters will not cast their vote for Harris this fall, the constant controversy around Trump can vote him this fall – a dynamic typed by the almost universal negative reaction to the hard and sometimes racist rhetoric at Donald Trump’s weekend drally In New York City.
Such a reaction was seen at the 11 Focus Group participants in a new NBC News Deciders Focus Group that was performed on Monday evening, produced in collaboration with Syracuse University and the research agencies Enkoms and SAGO. For many of these Haley supporters, in particular the seven Republicans and three independent people, the episode was a reminder why they initially acidified Trump.
“These voters show us two camps of Nikki Haley-supporters: who so eliminated by former President Trump that they will vote the third party, stay at home or even vote for vice-president Harris to keep Trump out of the White House, and those who Who will hold their nose and vote Trump because he is the Republican nominee and they are Republicans, “said Margaret Talev, the director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship of Syracuse University in Washington.
“Most voters we heard have known for months in which camp they are,” she continued. “Endorsement for Harris van de Cheneys, or ex-Trump cabinet officials, the needle does not move, although the attacking Trump meeting in Madison Square Garden may still be waving they still weigh their choices.”
Jennifer S., a 49-year-old Republican from Pennsylvania who voted for Trump in 2020, but is also torn to do this or write this in someone else, brought the rally to criticize ‘racist rhetoric’ later say say later Rally was a ‘terrible reflection of the party’.
“As a result, I am not going to vote for Harris. It still makes me torn. If they had done a very professional event, that might have moved the needle a little to him or something. But it keeps me in a place where it is difficult Makes to fill that oval, “she said.
Cristel T., a 59-year-old Republican from Georgia who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 and is planning to vote for Harris in 2024, said that the rally was “so typical” of what De Gop became under Trump.
“This is not the Republican party I know. The hatred and ugliness, “she said.
She added: “That makes me really angry that people talk about other people, ugliness. It just turns off completely. ”
Even those who were still on board at the Trump train released the rally.
“It’s disgusting,” said Dale J., a 67-year-old from Minnesota who voted for Trump in 2020 and is planning to do this again.
“It’s disgusting,” said Treasa S., a 68-year-old from North Carolina who supported a third-party candidate in 2020, but is planning to vote for Trump this time.
Four of these 11 voters are planning to vote or lean on Trump in this way, with a different choice between Trump and a registration or third party. Two voices for Libertarian Chase Oliver, and the remaining four voices for or tend to voices for Harris.
Harris and her campaign have set a big push in the final weeks of the campaign to enroll the voters of moderate voters, to strengthen the recent criticism of the former Staff Chef of the White House John Kelly and to campaign with former Wyoming GOP representative Top Republican in the House Committee to investigate the 2021 attack on the American Capitol.
On the other side of the aisle, while NBC News reported earlier that Trump’s and Haley’s assistants talked about a potential campaign appearance together, a senior adviser told NBC News on Monday that a joint appearance was increasingly unlikely because finding a good one Time had been challenging.
During a performance on Tuesday evening at FOX News, Haley criticized the comments that Trump -Bondigen made during his Madison Square Garden Rally, as well as how the campaign and allies talk about Latinos and women.
“This bromance and this masculinity, I mean, it borders edgy to the point that women will make it uncomfortable,” she said. “That is not the way to win people who are worried about Trump’s style.”
But she continued to repeat that she is still at Trump.
“His style and words are not always the best. But his policy, I choose policy above personality,” she added.
While the focus group took place one evening before Haley made those comments, it was clear that the group still kept her of paramount importance.
“Hearing memories of Haley that she supports Trump would help to mitigate some of her voters who worry that Trump is further than the pale, especially after the Madison Square Garden Rally,” said Rich Thau, the president of Entereel, who moderate the sessions.
While most of these voters were familiar with Cheney who hit the track for Harris, nobody said Cheney’s role as the unofficial ambassador of Harris to move the Republicans the needle for them.
Jason L., a 34-year-old Republican from Arizona who voted for a third party in 2020 and is planning to vote for the Libertarian candidate this fall, said that Cheney’s presence on the campaign track may have resonated with him as’ there Concessions had been from the Democrats. ”
“Instead of bringing the Democrats to dissatisfied republicans, the Republicans who are dissatisfied have just moved their policy to Democrats,” he said, pointing out how he thinks Cheney was about issues such as Abortion.
“If these Republicans had moved the Democrats in their own way, I would agree with a part of that rhetoric and perhaps more motivated,” Jason L. continued.
Kelly’s new criticism – which Trump spoke positively about Adolf Hitler when he was in office and that he “falls into the general definition of fascist” – did not seem to change much of ideas either.
“It is worrying, but at the same time there are enough political safe checks. I believe the country would be fine,” said 30-year-old Zach R. from Wisconsin, an independent who voted for Trump in 2020 and tends.
Treasa S., the Republican Republican of North Carolina who voted for Trump, said she does not consider Harris a ‘strong leader’. She is frustrated about the ‘economy and the rising costs of goods’, and even although she believes that Trump is ‘selfish’ and is worried about his ‘overall attitude’, she said she intends to vote for Trump because Her confidence in his degree, Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance.
“There is still a chance that Trump will go to prison. I mean, that’s not off the table with all the lawsuits and things to him. And so we have to look at who the leader will be when that happens,” she said.
“I do not give one of the candidates, nor one of their policy members corresponds to what I want,” she said.
For Barbara Z., a 62-year-old Republican from Michigan who voted for Trump in 2020 and voted for him again in 2024, the choice is simple: “I am a real republican and I am going to vote Republican.”
“I really liked the idea that Nikki Haley was a woman, and I thought she would have closer values ​​for mine than Trump. But he is our Republican candidate, so that’s who I chose,” she said.
She added that she would not vote before voting for a democrat. “I would rather have another Republican candidate. That is clear.”
Jason L., one of the two libertarian voters in the focus group, formed his decision as a ‘protest voice’. Although he said that he was ‘closer to voting on Trump’, he is ‘pretty sure that Arizona will go for Trump’, and does not feel forced to choose a large party candidate.
The other, John D., a 49-year-old from Wisconsin who also finished third in 2020, said that he will “vote more than likely to vote from Libertarian Chase Oliver, because Trump is a well-known quantity and Harris has not been able to explain how or why would be different than the past four years. ”
Asked what he would say if Trump asked to change his mind, John replied: “I will not vote for you. You can’t fire that bell. The things that have occurred have taken place. You can’t go back and change history And you’re not going to change. ”
Among the four voters who are planning to support Harris this fall, all except for Biden in 2020 – which means that Trump had long lost their voice before Harris entered the race in July. (One of these voters is a registered democrat who voted in the open presidential primary of her state for Haley.)
The two Republicans who supported Harris made it clear that Trump disqualified themselves in their eyes.
“She is a lot better candidate than the Republican. I am a Republican, a conservative Republican, but again, look at who we should vote for. … you can’t go there. So I had to switch and vote for her, no questions, “said Melody S., a 55-year-old from Arizona.
“He should be in prison,” she said about Trump.
Only one voter, the 40-year-old Chris P. from Michigan, supported Trump in 2020 and is now considering voting for Harris. He calls himself about 75% for Harris, he does not consider Trump as an alternative,
“At the moment I am afraid of what he would do if he got back to power,” he said.