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Trump voters in Luntz's group explain their Democratic switch

CNN's focus-group segment finds opposition to Republicans, rather than enthusiasm for Democrats, behind participants' midterm choices.

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CNN Story of November 4, 2026Trari Newsroom

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Why this story? One of CNN's most watched videos since yesterday, with 1,320,068 views.

Trump 2024 voters stun pollster with their 2026 choices: 'Holy cow'

Things we can learn from the video

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0:16Most participants describe their Democratic votes as opposition to Republicans, rather than support for Democrats.
1:26Luntz identifies unkept promises and affordability as the group's leading reasons for switching.
4:30Affordable healthcare was the issue participants mentioned most often, Luntz tells Pamela Brown.
7:08Kyle Kondik explains final Senate forecasts, including Democratic-leaning ratings in Kansas, Maine, Ohio and Texas.
10:28Kasie Hunt's panel examines Michigan voter behavior, campaign rhetoric and the political effects of economic stress.

Frank Luntz asks a group of former Trump voters a pointed question: are they voting for Democrats because they support the party, or because they oppose Republicans? The overwhelming majority choose the latter.

The exchange opens CNN's election-day report on people who backed Donald Trump in 2024 but planned to vote Democratic in the midterms. Their answers draw a brief response from the pollster: "Holy cow."

Luntz tells John Berman that broken promises and affordability explain the participants' decisions. "Promises that were not kept, which is number one answer. Affordability, which is the number two answer," he says. One participant describes having considered Democrats ineffective when he voted for Trump.

These are explanations from a group selected for having changed its voting intentions, not a measure of how many Trump voters nationwide have switched. What the discussion offers is a closer account of their reasoning: disappointment with delivery, rather than a straightforward embrace of the other party.

In a subsequent conversation with Pamela Brown, Luntz identifies affordable healthcare as the issue participants mentioned most often. He also expresses concern about Washington's response to the election: "I'm nervous that the people in Washington will use this as an excuse to get even."

The video drew about 1.3 million views since yesterday. Its later sections move into Kyle Kondik's final forecasts and a panel discussion about voter behavior. Those forecasts preceded the results: CNN has since separately projected that Democrats will capture the House.

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