Welcome to the online edition of From the Politics Desk. This evening newsletter brings you the latest reporting and analysis from campaigns, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News politics team.
In today’s edition, national political reporter Ben Kamisar analyzes the latest focus group of voters who didn’t participate in the last election but plan to do so this time. Plus, “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker previews Kamala Harris’ Texas trip.
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Voters who didn’t participate in 2020 are considering whether to jump to Trump or Harris this time around.
Written by Ben Kamisar
A new focus group of voters who plan to vote this fall but did not vote in 2020 shows that both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are looking to expand the electorate in a close race. It shows how much they rely on the core message of achieving
Some of these voters enjoy the support of Harris because they believe she will protect abortion rights, and there are widespread hopes that electing the first female president could send a strong message to the country. Some people are holding. But she is weighed down by a number of factors. Her vague diagnosis of the U.S. economy, her negative outlook on life under President Joe Biden’s administration, and her unfamiliarity created ambiguity and mistrust.
Not so with Trump, one of the most famous politicians on the planet. Some voters believe that his actions while in office disqualified him in their eyes, and some of his supporters believe that in his second term, he will focus more on fighting his opponents than governing. Some are concerned that there will be an emphasis on
Still, the majority of the 12 participants who attended two sessions that were part of the NBC News Decider Focus Group, produced in collaboration with Syracuse University and the research firms Engageous and Sago, said Trump was the oldest reason in politics. I’m leaning toward Mr. It’s the economy.
“I’m getting older and I’m starting to take a big financial hit as well. Inflation and costs and just the job market, all these things are really starting to impact me and my family. So it definitely feels more important this year,” said Ashley S., 34, of Clayton, North Carolina. She’s leaning toward Trump, but isn’t willing to vote for her in the end.
James B., 56, of Las Vegas, said the choice was “simple.” She did not vote in 2020 because she moved, but she plans to vote this year.
“My financial situation has repeatedly worsened,” he said, adding, “I am approaching a situation where I cannot survive.” I was better when he was president. ”
Rich Tau, president of Engageus, who moderated the session, said, “Most voters who didn’t participate in 2020 will vote for Trump this year. “We believe that we can mimic the low-inflation economy of the United States,” he said.
Read more about our latest focus group →
Why Beyonce, Texas and the abortion issue are so important to Harris
Written by Kristen Welker
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Houston tonight. Although Texas is not a battleground state, her trip is still noteworthy for several reasons.
After all, there are important Senate races in Texas, giving Democrats a fighting (but difficult) chance to flip the seat and maintain control of the chamber.
It also represents Democrats’ continued dream of turning the Lone Star State blue in the presidential election, even though Joe Biden still lost by more than five points in 2020.
Oh, and Beyoncé is scheduled to perform at a Harris event in her home city.
But perhaps most of all, Harris’ trip to Texas is notable because of the issue she will highlight there: abortion.
As NBC News reports, Harris is scheduled to speak on reproductive rights, highlighting state-level abortion bans enacted since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Our latest NBC News poll shows why abortion is such an important issue to Harris. It is the issue that motivates voters the most, especially young women.
Polls consistently cite inflation and the cost of living as voters’ top overall issues. But the October poll asked the question differently. Is there one issue you feel strongly enough about to vote for or against a candidate on that basis alone? —Abortion rises to the top, with 22% of registered voters saying it is their top motivating issue I answered that it was.
(chart)
This includes 34% of women aged 18-49 and 27% of women aged 50 and over.
When you add it all up, Texas is very important to Harris.
🗞️ Today’s Top News
👀 “The Big Lie” 2.0: Brandi Zadrozny explores how Trump and his allies’ false claims about unpopular votes laid the foundation to undermine the election. Continue reading → ⚖️ Legal eagles: Republican legal activity this election cycle has been more active and organized than four years ago, but some of the lawyers involved in the effort to overturn Trump’s defeat are now is also active. Continue reading → ❗ Fringe theory: Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the new chairman of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, says North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state legislature will be closed before a full vote. He suggested that Trump should consider giving the state’s electors to Trump. It will be counted. Continue reading → 🗳️ Vote Watch: Pennsylvania officials are investigating 2,500 fraudulent voter registration applications in Lancaster County. Continue reading → 🚫 No dice: Federal judge grants Justice Department request to stop Virginia from systematically removing alleged non-citizens from voter rolls ahead of election . Continue reading → 🗣️ Gender Gap: Gender underlies much of the 2024 campaign, from the disparity between male and female voters in polls to policy issues to the rhetoric being deployed by Trump and his allies. Nevertheless, Harris avoids discussing the historical nature of her candidacy. Continue reading → ⚫ New Trump allegations: 31 years after Stacey Williams says President Trump molested her while Jeffrey Epstein watched, 56-year-old author, consultant and former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model made his allegations public this week. Continue reading → 🔊 Turn up the volume: President Trump said at a rally in Arizona that the United States is “a trash can for the world,” as he ramped up his rhetoric on immigration in the final stages of the campaign. Continue reading → 🐘 Happy Anniversary: Mike Johnson marks his first year as speaker on Friday, fighting hard to keep his job with a razor-thin House Republican majority. Meanwhile, operatives in both parties are beginning to seriously consider the possibility that Democrats will control the House even if Trump wins the presidency. Continue reading → 🎙️ Q&A: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks with NBC News about Elon Musk, misinformation and Harris’ chances in the state. Read more → Follow the live broadcast from the campaign trail →
That’s all from the political desk. If you have any feedback, love it or hate it, email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com.
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