Pollster Lee Carter expresses surprise at the strong support for Trump's immigration policies among independent voters during the first presidential debate.
A live reaction poll conducted during Tuesday's presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris revealed that independent voters largely aligned with Trump's stance on immigration.
The poll, conducted by Fox News, measured the reactions of a panel of seven Democrats, five independents, and five Republicans. When Trump discussed the rise in "migrant crime," the yellow line representing the independent voters spiked significantly, overlapping with the red line representing Republicans.
Independent Voters Align with Trump's Immigration Stance during Presidential Debate
Pollster Lee Carter, president of Maslansky + Partners, was surprised by the strong support for Trump among independent voters on the issue of immigration. "I was really, really surprised because the intensity of the independent support was there for Donald Trump and I didn't expect it," Carter said on "The Faulkner Focus."
Independent voters expressed dissatisfaction with Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. However, both Democrats and Republicans consistently showed greater support for the former president when he discussed the pandemic and the economy.
Independent Voters Align with Trump's Immigration Stance during Presidential Debate
Carter explained that independent voters are seeking answers on immigration, the economy, and change from the status quo. "They want to hear that things will get better for them and they also want change from what is happening right now," Carter said.
An independent voter from New York on the voter panel criticized the Biden-Harris administration's immigration policies. "You don't have to look any further than the five boroughs to see the impact of the migrant crisis," he said. "When asked directly by the moderators, Kamala didn't even make an effort to defend the administration's policies at all. She can't. It's indefensible, so she pivoted."
Independent Voters Align with Trump's Immigration Stance during Presidential Debate
Carter highlighted other instances where independents tracked with Republicans' reactions, including on fracking, abortion, and the economy.
Host Harris Faulkner noted that the dial results indicate that the GOP "better pay attention" to non-affiliated voters. "I think the independents are tracking this way with Trump's responses because it is obvious what's happening across the country in these cities," said a GOP voter from New Jersey. "Every single day we're seeing destruction...crime...every single day our safety is being compromised, and I think you can't hide from that, and I think it's becoming more and more obvious and something needs to change."
Independent Voters Align with Trump's Immigration Stance during Presidential Debate
The poll results indicate that Trump's immigration stance resonated with independent voters during the first presidential debate. Independent voters are seeking answers and change, and Trump's message appealed to their concerns.
