Independents are pulling away from Trump

[TexasTowelie]

MANCHESTER, N.H. - The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll has some seriously troubling news for President Donald Trump: A year out from the 2020 election, he is hemorrhaging the support he once enjoyed from independents.

If it hadn't been for voters who claim no party affiliation, Trump most likely would not be in the White House today.

In 2016, he carried independents by four percentage points across the country, according to the National Election Pool exit poll. But in the states that mattered most, independents pulled him across the finish line. For instance, in Michigan, which had the nation's closest contest, Trump won independents by 16 percentage points over Hillary Clinton.

So which Democrat is best positioned to benefit from the disenchantment that many of these less partisan voters are feeling about the Trump presidency?

Read more: https://www.theeagle.com/opinion/columnists/independents-are-pulling-away-from-trump/article_a80ec185-7a47-51e1-b8e4-3a7d89e094a3.html
(Bryan-College Station Eagle)

[NCLefty]

1. People hate him because he's a relentless DICK.

I'm not sure it's anything more than that. :p

[Wounded Bear]

2. Maybe the internet trolls are tired of the joke...

[blm]

3. Any of the top Dems will best Trump.

But in the latest survey, five of the most talked-about Democratic candidates are besting Trump with independents. Biden has expanded his lead over the president to 17 points, while Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., do nearly as well, each leading the president by 16 points among independents. They favor Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., over Trump by 11 points, and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg by 10 points.

In other words, the poll suggests that independents are increasingly willing to vote for a Democrat, no matter which of the most likely possibilities the party nominates. It also erodes to an erosion in Biden's chief selling point, which is that he is the most "electable" prospect in the field.

[usaf-vet]

4. For me its not which Dem. candidate will beat Trump it's what are we doing to fight back against....

.... all of the GOP's dirty tricks.

To me, they are the wildcard. If Democratic candidates can beat Trump 10 points, 7 points, X points what will happen if the unpolled influence (Russians or others) overwhelms the likely results based on polls.

I look at past history in Wisconsin elections and have seen close election democratic winners being overtaken by last-minute ballots that didn't initially get counted. Magically just enough votes to swing the election to the repugs.

I look at Kentucky right now and wonder what is going on behind the GOP closed doors to 'find' the 5000+ votes needed to throw the results back to the incumbent. Bevin (R) won't concede because he wants the time to work the republican magic to pull the results from the jaws of defeat.

Other DUers agree with me. https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212661004#post4

In my mind, the Republicans CAN NOT BE TRUSTED in any election.

[blm]

5. No doubt. Red alert .... seriously.

[Baked Potato]

6. Good, these are the same voters

who some say these things about frequently... “Fuck them!” “We’ll never change their minds!” “Who cares about them?” These are the voters who voted for Trump last time, who we can flip.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. I don't think people are referring to Independents when they say that

They're talking about the extreme Trump cultists. *Some* of those *may* be reachable but I dunno.

[Baked Potato]

8. Fair enough, I understand that

They could be referring to themselves as Independents now, but they still voted for Trump. I think we can reach nearly *all* of them through messaging. They just want to be accepted somewhere, and Trump has cleverly gave them a place to be together as the persecuted outsiders.

I believe a lot of them are from former Union households and are pissed their more simple, but hardworking livelihoods are disappearing. We can convince them we care about them. Republicans have Union busted their cities and towns and the deflected that anger to Democrats.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

9. If they voted for Trump but regret their vote

they're definitely potentially gettable in 2020. I don't think that Democrats should, however, be willing to bend over completely backwards for them and compromise our beliefs, like the Never Trumpers seem to want us to do.

[Baked Potato]

10. Agreed...

He will keep his 30-35%. I want the rest.