Ohio swing voters are exasperated by impeachment push, focus group suggests


Swing voters in Ohio express exhaustion over impeachment and dismiss it as a distraction in the latest focus group from Axios.
In the Engagious/FPG focus group, 11 swing voters in the key state describe being "concerned," "uneasy," and "exhausted" by Democrats' impeachment inquiry, which was sparked by President Trump urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
The 7 people in the focus group who voted for Trump in 2016 describe impeachment as a "never-ending drama" and part of an effort to "destroy the other party," while even a voter who backed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concluded, "They need to be concentrating on the country, not what he's doing wrong." Another Clinton voter said "I believe in the checks and balances" but still didn't think impeachment was a good idea.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Just drop it," another Trump voter said. "Beat Trump at the ballot box."
Of the 11 participants, 9 raised their hand when asked if impeachment is a distraction from issues most important to them.
Axios notes this stands in contrast with national polls showing rising approval for impeachment in the aftermath of the official inquiry beginning, though the sample size in this focus group is only 11 people, 7 of whom backed Trump in 2016 after voting for former President Obama in 2012. Still, just four of them said they definitely planned to vote for Trump again in 2020, and Axios writes that "if such sentiments last and play out on a larger scale across pivotal states, it spells trouble for Democrats unless they can reframe what they're trying to accomplish." Read more at Axios.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
August 2 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include a tariff self-own, rough times at the Trump golf course, and more
-
5 inexcusably hilarious cartoons about Ghislaine Maxwell angling for a pardon
Cartoons Artists take on the circle of life, Ghislaine's Island, and more
-
Ozzy Osbourne obituary: heavy metal wildman and lovable reality TV dad
In the Spotlight For Osbourne, metal was 'not the music of hell but rather the music of Earth, not a fantasy but a survival guide'
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein