This is really something. A GOP political action committee, America First Action, conducted focus groups of GOP voters over the summer and had some disturbing findings. The voters seemed quite apathetic, in part because of the humming economy, and another due to their belief of a blue wave is a media-generated farce, i.e. “fake news”.
Per NYT:
Republican officials say privately that the performance of the economy under Mr. Trump has not been a major motivating factor for pro-Trump voters. For some Americans on the right, it may even be contributing to the mood of political apathy that has so alarmed G.O.P. leaders, since voters who are optimistic rarely vote with the intensity of those who are angry or afraid.
America First Action, a political committee aligned with Mr. Trump, conducted a series of focus groups over the summer and concluded the party had a severe voter-turnout problem, brought on in part by contentment about the economy and a refusal by Republicans to believe that Democrats could actually win the midterm elections.
Conservative-leaning voters in the study routinely dismissed the possibility of a Democratic wave election, with some describing the prospect as “fake news,” said an official familiar with the research, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the data was not intended to be disclosed. Breaking that attitude of complacency is now the Republicans’ top priority, far more than wooing moderates with gentler messaging about economic growth.
This presents another headache for the GOP, in addition to enormous headwinds they’re facing from a toxic President, off-the-charts Dem enthusiasm and fundraising, and a widening generic ballot, now they have the problem of just convincing their base that there is a real chance of losing the House, which is less time they have to spend attempting to win over moderate voters.
Of course, Dems need to get out their voters too, and right now it seems they’re having much more success at that than the Republicans are.