Many G.O.P. voters think Trump has flaws, but his hold on the party is still strong. A focus group examines why.
A rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in 2024 seems like a foregone conclusion. Other presidential hopefuls are polling at such dismal rates, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that both Biden and Trump have primary challengers. |
On the Democratic side, people often write off Marianne Williamson because of her unconventional views on a range of issues; on the Republican side, however, a number of serious candidates — Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie — have also failed to meaningfully break through to voters. What would it take for a candidate other than Trump to win over a Republican voter? |
This was the question we sought to answer in our most recent Times Opinion focus group. We spoke with 11 Republican voters who said they were open to another candidate besides Trump. In the course of our conversation, though, it became clear that their openness to another candidate might be more theoretical than real. "What I'm looking for is someone who has the strength and the business background that Trump has. None of the other candidates, as I look through them, have the experience," said Carol, 69, from Iowa. "I think the far left is strongly opposed to him, and that's why I'd vote for Trump," said Jeff, a 65-year-old South Carolinian. "I think they're more fearful of him." |
Still, several of the participants were open about what they saw as Trump's flaws: his age, his "sophomoric rhetoric," as one participant put it, and his "baggage," as a few other participants said. Asked if there was anything Trump could do that would jeopardize their support for him, Cristian, a 35-year-old from Nevada, established a red line. "I would not want another Jan. 6 incident," he said. "Anything that would incite violence, I'm opposed to." |
As my colleague Patrick Healy wrote in an introduction to the conversation, to say that the primary "is Donald Trump's to lose is an understatement." The group underscored that point, and served as a reminder of the hold that Trump has over much of the Republican Party, a hold apparently strong enough to make him the Republican nominee for president with ease. |
Here's what we're focusing on today: |
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