Dials monitoring a Fox News focus group during the debate showed something interesting. Independent voters sided with Republicans on Trump’s immigration stance.
Trump went after Vice President Kamala Harris, blaming her administration. He said illegal immigration was "destroying the fabric of our country."
He pointed fingers at the administration for the rise in migrant crime. Surprisingly, many independents agreed with him, not just Republicans.
The group had seven Democrats, five independents, and five Republicans. Their reactions were tracked by colored lines. When Trump talked about crime caused by illegal immigrants, the independents’ reaction spiked, overlapping with Republicans.
Lee Carter, a pollster, found this surprising. She didn’t expect independents to back Trump so strongly.
"I was really, really surprised," Carter admitted. She explained independents want answers on immigration and the economy. "They want change from what is happening right now," she added.
An independent from New York weighed in, saying the migrant crisis was clear in the five boroughs. He pointed out that Kamala Harris didn’t defend her policies. "She can’t," he said. "They rewrote all of Trump’s immigration policies in year one."
Carter also noted that independents sided with Republicans on other topics. These included fracking, abortion, and the economy.
Faulkner highlighted that the GOP should pay attention to independents. A GOP voter echoed this, mentioning rising crime and safety issues.
While independents were less supportive of Trump on the coronavirus, they aligned with him on the economy. All three groups supported him when he promised big tax cuts and a strong economy.