The Kansas City Star reports voters of President Donald Trump in North Carolina are widely blaming the president for the economy’s poor performance and this will likely affect Republicans in the midterms.“Of the 14 participants in the focus group, just three of them approve of [Trump’s] job performance, and 12 of them are more worried about the economy than they were when Trump took office. All of them voted for Trump in 2024,” reports the Star.The focus group of Trump voters in the Tar Heel State was conducted last week by Engagious, Axios and Sago, as a means of studying swing voters across competitive states in the 2024 election. The Star acknowledged that the sample was not statistically significant, but provides insight into how voters are thinking and feeling as the 2026 midterm election season approaches. Participants expressed discontent with Trump and his agenda, which includes tariffs and the presence of armed immigration agents in U.S. cities, which one participant described as “out of control.” Another over in the survey said Trump “hasn’t kept his word,” while another said there is “a disconnect between the average, everyday American people and the president.” “Interestingly, the group’s participants mirrored concerns that voters had about Joe Biden during his presidency,” reports the Star. “The vast majority of participants were familiar with reports of Trump struggling to stay awake during meetings, and they voiced concerns about his age. “If [falling asleep] was wrong for other presidents, it’s concerning for him, as well,” one voter said. While only half of focus group participants could identify U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth or were aware of potentially illegal strikes in the Caribbean Sea, many identified more with issues that directly affect them and their neighbors, like the cost of living.It’s a lesson the Star notes cost Democrats in 2024. However, Republicans appear to be the ones mainly struggling with the issue with 2026 looming.“Recent nationwide polls have found that Trump’s approval rating among the Republican base and his own MAGA supporters is slipping as well,” reports the Star, “and more of them are beginning to blame Trump for the ongoing affordability crisis. These numbers are most concerning among those who do not identify as MAGA voters but have voted for Trump and Republicans before — similar to the type of swing voter highlighted in the North Carolina focus group.”While Trump will not personally be on the ballot in 2026, the Star reports voters appear to be taking their concerns about him and his agenda to the polls, much like they did with Biden in 2024.“And as much as Trump has tried to contrast himself with or shift blame to Biden, voters are unhappy with him for much of the same reasons,” the Star reported.Read the Kansas City Star report at this link.
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