The Latest Findings from Our Swing Voter Research

The Swing Voter Project, a collaboration between Sago and Engagious, continued in May to understand how voters in Georgia are thinking and talking about critical issues such as abortion and inflation.

Two online focus groups took place with swing voters from Georgia who voted for Donald Trump in 2016, then Joe Biden in 2020. This month voters indicated neither Democrats nor Republicans are succeeding in winning them over for November’s election.

Respondents do not plan to vote for Democrats specifically to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but nearly all of them are concerned that if abortion rights disappear, other rights will soon follow.

Republicans have also been unsuccessful in persuading swing voters that President Joe Biden is solely responsible for inflation. While most agreed Biden holds some responsibility, none believed he was the primary cause.

Rich Thau, President of Engagious, moderated the groups and said, “The conventional wisdom about the midterms being a battle between abortion rights and inflation concerns is grossly oversimplified. There are just too many things on these voters’ minds beyond those two issues.”

Highlighting this reality, six out of 13 respondents cited inflation as their top concern. Three cited abortion rights or the overturning of Roe v. Wade specifically. The remainders included crime, student loans, food shortages, and gun control. While issues may be interconnected, no single one rules the day.

Hear what respondents had to say about these issues and more in this month’s highlight video.