Focus Group Report: Georgians, New Yorkers, and Virginians on the Current Political Landscape

This Navigator Research report contains findings from focus groups conducted on conducted online on March 25, 2025 among Americans who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, including young Black men under the age of 50 with varying levels of political engagement, young women in New York under the age of 40 with varying levels of political engagement, and men and women in Virginia who are highly politically engaged. Political engagement was scaled based on whether participants said they would take part in civic actions. Some quotes have been lightly edited for brevity. Qualitative results are not statistically projectable.

Following the election, Harris voters are deeply disturbed by Trump’s actions and the state of the country.

Democrats and independents are largely pessimistic about the country and Trump’s term so far. One Democrat in Virginia said: “I just feel like things have gotten kind of out of control and people’s lives have been turned upside down with the massive firings and shutdowns. Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. I think our well-being is being threatened.” Participants say they are feeling “hopeless and depressed” and “disillusioned” with the current state of the country as many of the administration’s actions have broken through. A Georgia Democrat said: “I feel like the tariffs are crazy. I feel like how he went about it and the connections he had and how they’re creating these problems with Canada and Mexico. And how he had bonds with them and he’s publicly destroying them.”

• Several describe Trump’s actions as “dictator” and “king” like, while others agree with descriptors like “authoritarian” and “oligarchy.” A Georgia Democrat said: “Clearly, the federal government has kind of become an oligarchy where it’s just kind of President Trump and then Elon Musk exacting whatever power they wish, whether politically or financially or whatnot.” A Virginia independent also noted: “If he’s trying to change the way America runs, the way our law is, that’s a constitutional crisis.”
• Many believe Project 2025 is actively being implemented by the administration. A New York Democrat said: “It’s definitely happening. I agree that at first I thought it was fearmongering or just so far right. It’s not even right. It’s a whole different thing.” A Virginia Democrat also said: “Literally, play-by-play. This is the man who said he had never read it and didn’t know anything about Project 2025, mind you. And you can go through exactly every action that he is taking… to try to solidify the power in the executive branch to minimize the power in the other branches, including the judicial… to do away with the agencies that he considers superfluous. What we have, he’s following the guidebook.”

Harris voters view congressional Democrats’ response to Trump as “soft” and “fractured,” and they want to see a tougher, more united fight.

When asked how they would describe Democrats currently, participants used words like “fragile,” “soft,” and “vulnerable.” A New York Democrat described Democrats as “soft… it just feels like they’re not strong enough to do anything about this. And when you were talking about non-existent, it’s kind of like even when you ask that question like, ‘Oh yeah, Democrats exist? I forgot.” A Virginia Democrat said: “It doesn’t feel like they’re thinking… they’re not strategizing. I don’t know what goes on. There could be things going on that we don’t know about, obviously, but what looks to me, to the public, I feel like, is that they’re not strategizing on how to rebuild, so that they can win in four years.”

• Participants want to see Democrats be more assertive in standing up to Trump. A Virginia Democrat said: “I think maybe they need to get, pardon the expression, but if you grow a pair and you’re willing to stand up without being too afraid to risk your own position next election, then maybe you have more freedom to stand up for what you think is right.” A New York Democrat also said: “I think that they should stand firm and stand strong on what they say and what they believe in because no matter [what]… it just takes one person… I just think they have to be stronger, come together more, and just be, again, very more assertive in things and put their foot down when they know things are wrong.”

Participants find a sense of community as the most rewarding impact from being civically engaged.

When asked how participants are expressing their political beliefs or getting involved politically right now, some say boycotts, protests, or posting online. A Georgia man said: “Obviously, social media is a huge part now. So expressing yourself on social media, getting things out here. And you’ll see that there’ll be certain events or certain developments that might not be broadcasted on a wide scale on a traditional news platform, or by certain journals or whatnot, and people kind of take a responsibility for themselves to get the word out.” A New York Democrat also said: “Where I spend my money is basically the only way I can vote in this. So giving to organizations that I want to support and withholding money from corporations that are not playing nice.” 

• Many say community is the most felt impact of their political actions. As one Virginia Democrat said: “I think it always helps individually to be with people, likemind[ed]… just knowing that there are other people out there who are motivated too. So it’s a little bit like the ball keeps rolling. I come home, I post some pictures on social media, all my friends comment. I’m like, ‘Okay, well the next one is so and so date,’ and a couple more people might join me and bring signs. And it’s not going to change the world, but what it is going to do is keep people interested and active, and that’s going to be ultimately what makes a difference.” A New York Democrat also said: “It sort of provides this beacon of hope that, look at these 5,000 people who all agree with us, and there are still some sane people in the world who are willing to go out there. The fact that it’s nice to see.”
• Some feel demobilized by the chaos, like a Virginia Democrat who said: “I’m hiding from everything that he’s doing. I’m hiding from the insanity of what’s going on. I want to hide from the violence that I feel, the hate that seems to be running rampant because he’s made it okay to hate.” Others feel energized and ready to fight, like a Georgia Democrat who said: “I’m not tired of giving my opinion, or just politics in general. I guess I’m a little weird too, because I always like to refer to my grandparents. They went through Jim Crow South and segregation. So, if they’re not going to give up, I’m not going to stop, because you want to keep fighting and pressing on, because there’s so much more work to do.” A New York Democrat also said: “I think they want us to feel tired of taking action, because the less we take action the more they just have free rein to do whatever. So even if we don’t feel like it’s making a difference, we can’t roll over and die about it or just not do it.”