Is Donald Trump’s decade-long grip on the Republican base beginning to loosen? That seems to be the case, at least according to a recent focus group.
Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, who regularly runs focus groups with voters, found this trend in a recent analysis.
“Often the most interesting grades come from Republicans. Those who give him an A or a B are probably among the roughly one-third of voters who will be with Trump even if he shoots someone on Fifth Avenue,” Longwell said of her focus groups. “If they give him a C or lower, that’s an indication they might be disappointed enough in Trump’s performance to sit out the midterms. A participant who gives him an angry F might even consider voting for a Democrat or independent, if the circumstances are right.”
“Across several Republican focus groups this summer, it’s clear that the intraparty sentiment toward Donald Trump isn’t what it used to be. I’ve heard more participants than usual grade Trump at a C or a D.”
Check out my latest @BulwarkOnline: https://t.co/L8O64sq7md pic.twitter.com/HHgUdoSDPN
— Sarah Longwell (@SarahLongwell25) August 20, 2026
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However, Longwell has noted a change lately. Usually, she has to recruit Republican voters who specifically disapprove of Trump.
“Recently, though, groups of straight-up Republicans, many of whom voted for Trump three times in a row, are feeling deflated and disappointed,” Longwell noted. “Across several Republican focus groups this summer, it’s clear that the intraparty sentiment toward Donald Trump isn’t what it used to be. I’ve heard more participants than usual grade Trump at a C or a D.”
Longwell has also noticed a change among the way Republicans are verbalizing their thoughts about Trump.
“Throughout his first term, I’d consistently hear some version of the following: I wish he’d tweet a little bit less, but he’s the GREATEST PRESIDENT IN MY LIFETIME. PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT. My 401(k) is crushing,” Longwell said. “In 2026, lots of people still perfunctorily express that they wish he’d just behave himself. But compared to Trump’s first term—or to what Republicans said during Joe Biden’s presidency—what I’m hearing now is.”
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
