Swing voters in Georgia say the Iran war is going poorly.
Thirteen Georgia voters who backed Joe Biden in 2020 and President Trump in 2024 took part in two online focus groups Tuesday night conducted by messaging and market research firms Engagious and Sago as part of the Swing Voter Project. NPR is a partner on the project and observed both groups. Seven identified as independents, five as Republicans and one as a Democrat.
When asked how the conflict makes them feel, participants used words like “afraid,” “angry,” “concerned,” “sad” and “despair.” Many said they worried the war was being mishandled and would continue to cause economic pressures at home. Not a single voter described the military action in Iran as going well so far, despite the president’s claims that the U.S. has decimated Iran and that the war is “very close to over.”
“They are very anxious, some angry, upset when they hear about the war,” said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the focus groups. “They are not happy that we are there.”
While focus groups are not statistically significant, they offer insight into how some key voters view the conflict, which polls show is broadly unpopular with the American public.
Several participants criticized Trump’s handling of the conflict. Nick H., a 28-year-old independent, said Trump “completely underestimated the opponent” and lacked the calculation to foresee Iran’s use of drones and other tactics. He noted Iran had bombed U.S. bases and taken over the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy passage. Bryan M., a 24-year-old independent, worried the U.S. has lost expensive, advanced military equipment that should not be easily destroyed.
Most participants disapproved of Trump’s performance in his second term. Many pointed to a perceived misalignment between their priorities and the president’s, saying he seemed focused on extending U.S. power or his own enrichment rather than domestic needs. “It seems like he’s prioritizing taking over as much of the world as possible,” said Corey W., 55, an independent. Xaveria T., 44 and a Republican, said Trump was focused on “his own personal gain” instead of addressing job losses and housing affordability.
The economy was top of mind. Twelve of the 13 respondents said they are more anxious about the economy now than before Trump returned to office, citing rising prices for food, oil, housing and health care. “Everything is higher now,” said Dawn H., 46, a Republican. Joe J., 56 and an independent, said Trump’s promises to lower costs have not materialized and criticized spending priorities. Bryan M. expressed worry about how oil and food price increases tied to the war could further hurt the economy.
Other takeaways:
– Israel the country drew support, but only one voter viewed Israel’s government positively; four viewed it negatively and the rest were neutral.
– Nine of 13 said they are “very likely” to vote in the November midterms; most remained undecided on which party to support. Only two said they plan to vote for Democrats to send a message to Trump; none said they plan to vote Republican in support of the president.
– A majority expressed concern about data centers being built in their communities because of the water and energy resources required to operate them.