Pollster taken aback by independent voters' reactions to Trump's debate performance: "Not what I anticipated"

Independent voters are leaning towards supporting former President Trump's immigration policies, according to a Planet Chronicle focus group's reaction monitoring on Tuesday.

During the ABC News Presidential Debate, Vice President Kamala Harris was targeted by Trump, who accused the Biden-Harris administration of ruining the country through the increase of illegal immigration.

The former president accused the administration of the increase in "migrant crime," which was supported by both Republicans and a significant number of independent voters.

The focus group consisted of seven Democrats, five independents, and five Republicans, and was represented by blue, yellow, and red lines, respectively. When Trump discussed the increasing crime committed by undocumented immigrants, the yellow line tracking the independent response surged significantly in Trump's favor, aligning with the red Republican line.

Independent voters are closely tracking with Republicans on the issue, according to Lee Carter, pollster and president of Maslansky + Partners.

"Carter was taken aback on "The Faulkner Focus" on Wednesday because the level of independent support for Donald Trump was stronger than he anticipated."

"Independents are closely aligned with Republicans. They seek answers on immigration and the economy, and desire improvement in their lives. Additionally, they seek change from the current situation. Last night, Kamala Harris was asked how she would make things different."

A voter from New York who was part of a panel on Wednesday told host Harris Faulkner that the impact of the migrant crisis can be seen in the five boroughs.

"Kamala did not attempt to defend the administration's policies when directly questioned by moderators. She admitted that it was indefensible, so she shifted the conversation. However, they rewrote all of Trump's immigration policies in their first year, which left many people confused and frustrated. I wish there had been an explanation for the country as to why they made such a drastic change."

Carter emphasized more instances, such as fracking, abortion, and the economy, where independents aligned with Republicans' viewpoints.

Faulkner stated that the dial results suggest the GOP should take heed of non-affiliated voters.

A GOP voter from New Jersey stated that the independents are following Trump's responses because it is clear what is happening in cities across the country.

"We witness daily destruction and crime, compromising our safety, which is increasingly evident and demands change."

While Trump spoke about the pandemic, Democrats and Republicans were consistently more supportive of him, but independents expressed dissatisfaction.

When Trump promised to cut taxes and boost the economy, all three voting blocs saw a significant increase in support for him.

Planet Chronicle' Aubrie Spady and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.