(DCNF)—Pollster Frank Luntz said Monday that former Democratic voters who supported President Donald Trump in 2024 are responding positively to the rapid pace of his new administration.
CNN anchor Brianna Keilar noted on “CNN News Central” that Luntz runs numerous focus groups and that he has been talking to “a number of voters who were Hillary Clinton 2016, Joe Biden 2020 and then went for Trump in 2024.” When Keilar asked how these voters perceive Trump’s second term so far, Luntz responded, “pretty well,” emphasizing their appreciation for decisive action in Washington.
“They’re reacting to it because they love the pace of change. They were very fed up over the last four years. They wanted action. They wanted results. They looked at prices. They looked at affordability. They looked at immigration. And they didn’t see anything happening,” Luntz said. “They still don’t like what he says, but they like what he does. And these are Democrats now who felt that they were not securing the border. They were doing nothing to prevent illegal immigration, that nothing was actually happening.”
Trump immediately took action after being sworn in to his second term on Jan. 20, signing over 200 executive actions within 12 hours, addressing issues ranging from the border crisis to the economy.
“They wanted to see a reduction in wasteful Washington spending. And they’re seeing that. So what they tell me is, ‘I wish he would be a little bit less rude,’ but at the same time, they like what he’s doing,” Luntz continued. “They believe he’s serious about it. And for the first time, they have confidence in the future, which is why you now see some significant shifts in the polling about the expectations for the direction in the coming years.”
Trump has made cutting waste a major part of his administration, backing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Chairman Elon Musk in his efforts to do so. DOGE’s X account regularly posts updates containing specific information regarding how it is cutting the federal government’s spending.
“It’s a big wake-up call for Democrats,” Keilar responded to Luntz.
“I’m waiting for them to get a message. I’m waiting for them to unify and to understand that to oppose and to be the resistance, which is what some of them use that phrase,” the pollster said. “That’s not what Democrats in grassroots areas want from them. They may not want the approach that Trump is doing … but they do want action and they don’t see action from the Democrats.”
Trump has been moving so fast that Democratic strategist James Carville said during a Thursday podcast that he is stumped about how to counter him.
“I don’t know how you accentuate. Do you oppose one thing? Do you oppose all five? Is it a personnel issue?” Carville asked. “Is it a policy issue? … I’m struggling here a little bit, so maybe some of our really smart viewers can help us untangle it a little bit. It’s really tangled now because no one knows where to land. It’s all too incomprehensible.”
Democratic lawmakers also appear split on how they should oppose Trump’s agenda, with some advocating to resist everything while others seem willing to cross the aisle.
