08/19/2026
Politics Professionalized. Campaigns Can’t: The 2026 Political Careers Survey
Category: Field Test
Voter Vocabulary: The Words Voters Use To Discuss Key Issues
Campaigns spend most of their message testing on which arguments win. This test asked a simpler question: what words do voters actually use? We texted 202 voters in battleground congressional districts one open question — what would you tell a political candidate who wants to earn your vote this year? — and let an AI probe for a clearer answer. Their replies, hand-coded into eleven topics, are below in their own language.
Each topic has three parts. The word cloud shows the words respondents on that topic actually used, sized by how many different people used them, not how many times. The phrases to borrow are verbatim quotes worth lifting, lightly trimmed. The Say / Avoid panels turn those into writing guidance.
Counts are respondents, and a respondent can appear under more than one topic. This data is qualitative: it tells you how people talk about an issue, not how many care about it. Party bars show registered or modeled Democrat, Republican, and independent or unaffiliated.
Who says what
The vocabulary, crossed with the audience. The grid shows the share of each audience that raised each topic. Read across a row to see what an audience talks about; read down a column to see who raises a topic. The cards below turn each row into a writing brief: what that audience leans toward, what it doesn't bring up, and the words it uses.
| Audience | Cost of living | Opposition to admin | Honesty | Immigration | Money in politics | War & allies | Healthcare | Data centers | Debt & fraud | Elections | Crime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | |||||||||||
| Democratn=76 | 24% | 42% | 17% | 3% | 13% | 14% | 9% | 12% | 7% | 5% | 0% |
| Republicann=74 | 27% | 12% | 12% | 23% | 7% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 8% | 5% | 8% |
| Independentn=52 | 15% | 17% | 10% | 8% | 15% | 8% | 13% | 8% | 8% | 6% | 8% |
| Age | |||||||||||
| Under 46n=43 | 16% | 21% | 12% | 5% | 23% | 5% | 16% | 7% | 2% | 0% | 2% |
| 46–65n=76 | 25% | 24% | 7% | 18% | 11% | 17% | 11% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 5% |
| 66+n=83 | 24% | 28% | 20% | 8% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 10% | 7% | 6% |
| Sex | |||||||||||
| Menn=109 | 14% | 21% | 18% | 13% | 14% | 7% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 5% |
| Womenn=92 | 34% | 29% | 8% | 10% | 9% | 13% | 9% | 10% | 8% | 5% | 5% |
| Place | |||||||||||
| Urbann=44 | 27% | 16% | 9% | 9% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 5% | 11% | 5% | 7% |
| Suburbann=78 | 23% | 27% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 8% | 9% | 6% | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Rural/Townn=80 | 20% | 28% | 15% | 12% | 8% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 8% | 9% | 6% |
Percent of respondents in each audience who raised the topic · darker = higher · audience size in the row label · a respondent can raise several topics
Democrat
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (42%), cost of living (24%), honesty (17%)
Rarely raises: Immigration enforcement (3%), crime (0%)
Their words
stand up tothe White HouseMAGAconvicted felonbillionairesalliesdata centers
They must be willing to stand up to Trump, regardless of political affiliation.
Republican
Leans toward: Cost of living (27%), immigration (23%), honesty (12%), opposition to the administration (12%)
Rarely raises: Data centers (4%), healthcare (5%)
Their words
illegalsthe borderenforce the lawproperty taxescommon sensewomen's sportsthe Constitution
We have laws. Enforce them. No sweetheart deals.
Independent
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (17%), money in politics (15%), cost of living (15%), healthcare (13%)
Rarely raises: Immigration (8%)
Their words
AIPACMedicaretax dollarsforeignsafepayingprotecting
Are you taking money from AIPAC?
Under 46
Leans toward: Money in politics (23%), opposition to the administration (21%), healthcare (16%), cost of living (16%)
Rarely raises: Elections (0%), debt (2%), immigration (5%)
Their words
genocidePAC moneycorporationsdecent human beingMedicare for Allhousingpedophile
Every politician is bought and paid for… We deserve better here in the states.
46–65
Leans toward: Cost of living (25%), opposition to the administration (24%), immigration (18%), war (17%), data centers (13%)
Rarely raises: Honesty (7%)
Their words
alliesrelationshipspower billswaterdata centerstariffsstop the war
Work with our allies instead of tariffing them.
66+
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (28%), cost of living (24%), honesty (20%), debt (10%)
Rarely raises: Money in politics (6%), healthcare (4%), data centers (4%)
Their words
fixed incomeSocial Securitythe Constitutionpay down the debttell the truthback the bluehonest
Please tell the truth.
Men
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (21%), honesty (18%), cost of living (14%), money in politics (14%), immigration (13%)
Rarely raises: War (7%), data centers (6%)
Their words
Second Amendmentthe ConstitutionIsraellegislationdeportrepealfraud
Work for the people not for the party.
Women
Leans toward: Cost of living (34%), opposition to the administration (29%), war (13%)
Rarely raises: Honesty (8%), money in politics (9%)
Their words
utilitiesgrocerieshousingproperty taxeswaterschoolsour communities
Cost of living for seniors, it's nearly impossible to live on a fixed income… rents, food, basic necessities are skyrocketing.
Urban
Leans toward: Cost of living (27%), debt (11%), war (11%), money in politics (11%)
Rarely raises: Data centers (5%)
Their words
pricesrentsafespendinghealthcarequalityfraud
Make it safe for women to walk home and take the train at night.
Suburban
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (27%), cost of living (23%), money in politics (15%), honesty (14%)
Rarely raises: Elections (3%), crime (3%)
Their words
AIPACfundingfundingliberalprioritizeproperty taxesthe border
Don't take money from AIPAC. We need people who put Americans first above all.
Rural/Town
Leans toward: Opposition to the administration (28%), cost of living (20%), honesty (15%), data centers (11%)
Rarely raises: Money in politics (8%)
Their words
data centersfarmerswaterschooltruthliesschoolfraud
We don't need more data centers, we need farmers to grow crops on that land.
Cost of living
n=46
What they're asking for: named line items, not "the economy." Groceries, gas, utilities, rent, property taxes, Medicare costs. The felt injustice is that costs outrun a fixed income. The one theme both parties raise in equal measure.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 15% · 46–65 41% · 66+ 43% Sex Women 67%↑ · Men 33% Place Urban 26% · Suburban 39% · Rural/Town 35%
spendinghealthcareproperty taxescontroldownpaygasliveaffordschoolsraisepublicpricestaxesstophelphighmoneyhardpeoplegroceriesstateaffordablelowereconomyhomesutilitiesfoodtimeeveryone
Words used by 2 or more of the 46 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
It used to cost me $200 for a month worth of groceries. Now it cost me $400 for the month and I'm on a fixed income Social Security disability. You do the math. Democrat, 66–75, AZ
Rent goes up $100 each year. May not seem like a lot, but on a fixed income and Social Security increases maybe $50 annually… it's harder and harder to have a home to live in. Democrat, 66–75, PA
On top of everything else that goes up in price (insurance, utilities, food, gas, ect) it's hard on middle class retired people that are on a fixed income to additionally absorb rising property taxes on the homes they have been living in for 30 plus years. Modeled Republican, 66–75, WI
I am middle class who does not qualify for food stamps or any programs because I am 100 dollars above the scale!! Republican, 66–75, CA
Before the end of the month I'm already out of food to feed myself and my husband. You try living off what we do! Republican, 56–65, IA
Make groceries, gasoline and healthcare affordable for working families. There will be plenty of time to sue or impeach Trump, but working families urgently need their lives to be made affordable. Unaffiliated, 76+, NJ
Writing guidance
Say
- Name the bill. "Groceries, gas, and your electric bill" beats "inflation" or "the economy." Voters listed their expenses; a candidate should list the same ones.
- "Fixed income." The phrase seniors use for themselves. Pair it with the Social Security increase that didn't keep up.
- "Middle class" as a self-description, including retirees. One used it precisely as "not poor enough for help, not rich enough to be fine"; others as shorthand for the squeezed household.
- "Property taxes." Framed as a threat to keeping the house, not as a school-funding tradeoff.
- Real dollar figures. $200 to $400. $100 a year. $100 over the line. Respondents did the math; a message that does too will sound like them.
Avoid
- "Inflation" as the headline. It appeared only four times in the whole sample, twice as a bare heading ("Inflation/gas prices," "Fix inflation and Medicare") and twice in answers about the debt; the people describing their own bills never used it.
- Macro framing (jobs numbers, GDP, "the economy is strong"). A few said "the economy" as a heading; nobody cited a statistic or argued it was doing well.
- Defending tariffs. Two respondents tied tariffs directly to their bills, one of them alongside the war. "Prices on everything is going up because of tariffs."
- Young-family framing for this cohort. It's a senior story; talk to the person on the fixed income.
Opposition to the administration
n=50
What they're asking for: a litmus test, not a policy. A quarter of the sample answered a question about the candidate by talking about the president or his party. Included here because the vocabulary of opposition tells you what these voters listen for, and because nine Republican-registered or modeled-Republican voters are in it.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 18% · 46–65 36% · 66+ 46% Sex Women 54%↑ · Men 46% Place Urban 14% · Suburban 42% · Rural/Town 44%
pedophileadministrationenddownhouseiranpresidentdata centersworldworkbetterstandpeopletrumprepublicancandidatehishealthcaremoneylivecongresstaxesstopwomenwarwhitevotepartyactionscountry
Words used by 2 or more of the 50 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Uphold the Constitution!!!! Congress has the Constitution on their side but gives Trump whatever he wants. Republican, 66–75, NY
Grow some balls and stand up to this administration. Republican, 66–75, IA
We elected the Republicans to make America great again, but Trump and those who support him in Congress have been a great disappointment… I say that as someone who voted for him three times. Independent, 66–75, PA
They must be willing to stand up to Trump, regardless of political affiliation. Democrat, 56–65, IA
Be everything Trump isn't and I will vote for you. Someone with a brain, heart, and soul would probably be enough. Democrat, 36–45, PA
I want politics to be normal again. No cults praising and praying to a politician. I don't care what party you are, I just want a decent human being. Democrat, 36–45, CO
Writing guidance
Say
- "Stand up to." A verb several of these voters reach for. It signals independence without requiring a policy break.
- "The Constitution," "the oath," "our 3 part government." The safe vocabulary for a Republican who needs distance. It came from R-registered voters as well as Democrats.
- "Normal," "decent," "civil." Part of this cohort is asking for temperament, not ideology.
- "Regardless of party." Several said they would cross over for the right posture.
Avoid
- Assuming loyalty from R-registered voters. Only three people in the whole sample volunteered support for the president.
- Matching the heat. The strongest language here ("felon," "regime") is the voters' own; a candidate echoing it reads as name-calling, which the honesty cohort penalizes.
- Making the race about him for the affordability voter. "1) to punish Donald Trump or 2) to do all they can to make groceries, gasoline and healthcare affordable for working families."
Honesty & character
n=27
What they're asking for: proof, not assertion. Truthfulness with a strong subtext that the default assumption is lying; follow-through; and service to people over party. Cross-partisan, and for about a third of them it was the whole answer.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 19% · 46–65 19% · 66+ 63%↑ Sex Women 26% · Men 74%↑ Place Urban 15% · Suburban 41% · Rural/Town 44%
caretaxesinsteadhighenoughothersmattertrymoneydata centersworkchangehonestpeopletrumpexamplepartytimeliespoliticianscountryvotelawworldtruthpedophilebetteramericastopcontrol
Words used by 2 or more of the 27 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Work for the people not for the party. Democrat, 76+, PA
You are elected to serve the people, not your party or the president. Democrat, 66–75, PA
Be willing to disagree with your own side when an issue calls for it. I have far more respect for a candidate who can admit they do not know enough about an issue and abstain than one who votes blindly because their party tells them which way to go. Republican, 26–35, CA
Stop all the stuff that they are saying they're fighting for and do it. Many Democrats and Republicans play their little games, but actually do nothing!! Republican, 66–75, CA
No name calling, divisive language, lying about their opponent is what would disqualify someone from getting my vote. Republican, 56–65, OH
Simply the truth. He doesn't have to say everything word for word. The highlight and a little meat to go with it. Modeled Independent, 76+, MI
Make a spreadsheet available to the public that shows our income versus spending and line item each expenditure. Democrat, 76+, IA
Writing guidance
Say
- "Work for the people not for the party." Appeared in near-identical form from three people across parties. Use it as written.
- "Tell the truth." Plain and imperative. "Honest" and "truth" outnumber "integrity" in this sample by more than five to one.
- A receipt. One specific time you broke with your side, or did what you said. One respondent in this cohort explicitly asked for an example and said he couldn't think of one.
- "Do it." Follow-through language: "actually do the job," "get things done," "stop the flip flops."
- A small, checkable promise. Publishing a budget line by line, explaining every vote. Transparency as a deliverable.
Avoid
- Abstract nouns on their own. A few respondents did ask for "integrity," usually next to a concrete complaint (lining pockets, lying, not following through). The noun without the story is what they have stopped believing.
- Contrast attacks in the first message. Name-calling is a stated disqualifier. "Done voting for people who just tear the other person down."
- Blame framing. "Blame each other," "accuse and blame," "blame others instead of providing solutions" all appeared as complaints.
Immigration
n=23
What they're asking for: enforcement of laws that already exist, framed through fairness and cost. The border is assumed; the ask is about interior consequences, benefits, and local officials who obstruct. The clearest issue bloc on the right.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 9% · 46–65 61%↑ · 66+ 30% Sex Women 39% · Men 61% Place Urban 17% · Suburban 39% · Rural/Town 43%
highfreetaxesothersspendingprotectpayrightscitizensdrugfraudcarestopillegalspeopledeporthomeamericanlawiransanctuarymoneygovernmentwomen's sportsgivingbordersafetycrimebordersamerica
Words used by 2 or more of the 23 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
We have laws. Enforce them. No sweetheart deals. If you commit a crime you're out of here. Republican, 56–65, AZ
Illegal aliens using food stamps and getting free rent and free medical care is unfair to those of us who pay our own way. Democrat, 56–65, NJ
My grandparents came from Sicily and worked for everything, did not take handouts!! Republican, 66–75, CO
Stop giving criminals and illegals more rights than they deserve! Republican, 56–65, IA
I am a legal immigrant from Canada and feel sorry for all those who have been waiting legally for years to be allowed to become a US citizen. It is a privilege not a right. Republican, 66–75, AZ
Police should work with ICE not against them. Most of the problems ICE is having is because they don't have local backup. Republican, 66–75, AZ
Writing guidance
Say
- "Enforce the law." Sits alongside "close the border" rather than replacing it. The border is usually stated as a given ("keep the borders closed," "no open borders"); the elaborated asks are about consequences after entry.
- "Pay our own way," "the legal way," "no handouts." The fairness frame is the dominant structure: I did it right, the rules should be the same for everyone.
- "Tax dollars." Benefits to noncitizens are described as theft from taxpayers, which links this cohort to the fraud-and-spending cohort.
- "Sanctuary cities," "back the blue." The local-obstruction angle. Pair immigration with support for police.
- "Citizens." Used repeatedly as the in-group word, on immigration and on voting.
Avoid
- "Deport all illegals" as the headline. It's in the sample, but the fairness-and-process frame ("if you commit a crime you're out") reaches further, including to the seven voters who raised ICE overreach or fair treatment of immigrants.
- Softening for this bloc. Nothing in their answers asked for it. The crossover risk is elsewhere in the sample, not here.
Money in politics
n=23
What they're asking for: proof the candidate isn't bought. No PAC money, no AIPAC money, no stock trading, repeal Citizens United. Foreign aid, especially to Israel, is the purest example of "our money going elsewhere." Skews young and cuts across party.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 43%↑ · 46–65 35% · 66+ 22% Sex Women 35% · Men 65%↑ Place Urban 22% · Suburban 52%↑ · Rural/Town 26%
currentPAC moneygenocidepoliticiansendhealthcarebettergivingpoliticalwarcountrypeoplestopmoneytaxesdollarsforeigncitizensimportantdownhousedata centersamericanseconomypocketsaipacisraelspeakfundingkids
Words used by 2 or more of the 23 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Are you taking money from AIPAC? Unaffiliated, 36–45, CO
Don't take money from AIPAC. We need people who put Americans first above all. Republican, 46–55, CO
Tell [him] to stop trading stocks. A multimillionaire representing Pennsylvania shouldn't be using information he gleaned from major legislative actions for his own benefit. Democrat, 36–45, PA
Stop billionaires and corporations from buying elected officials. Democrat, 36–45, IA
Pay down our national debt instead of lining their pockets with our money. Independent, 66–75, PA
They're not America and yet we treat them like they're more important than us. Republican, 66–75, IA
Politicians should have the same health plans as citizens, and political jobs shouldn't be full-time. They shouldn't accept gifts or lobbying. Republican, 76+, PA
Writing guidance
Say
- "No stock trading in office." Low-cost and high-signal. Raised by Democratic respondents in this sample; untested on the right here.
- "Americans first." Available to Republicans, and in this cohort it means "stop sending our money abroad" at least as much as it means immigration.
- "Our tax dollars," "our money," "lining their pockets." The possessive is doing the work: it's theirs, and someone else is spending it.
- "Same rules as the rest of us." Same healthcare, same Social Security, no golden parachute.
Avoid
- Defending foreign aid on alliance grounds to this voter. Nobody in the sample defended foreign aid; the only pro-alliance language came from the allies cohort, a different, Democratic-leaning group.
- "Special interests" on its own. One respondent used the phrase; the rest named specifics: AIPAC, PACs, banks, billionaires, stock trades.
War & allies
n=20
What they're asking for: two different things. One group wants the war with Iran stopped and military spending brought home, in one case tied explicitly to gas prices. A smaller, Democratic-leaning group wants relationships with allies restored. Both use the word "stop."
Who raises it → Age Under 46 10% · 46–65 65%↑ · 66+ 25% Sex Women 60%↑ · Men 40% Place Urban 25% · Suburban 30% · Rural/Town 45%
peoplecoursehouseaccountablewhitecountrypricesstandcountriesworldcongressamericansiranwarstoprelationshipsamericanstatesworkwomenhealthcareinsteadmoneygovernmentvotepresidentamericaallieshistrump
Words used by 2 or more of the 20 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Stop wars that make no sense. If we didn't start the war in Iran we wouldn't be paying high gas prices. Independent, 46–55, AZ
Stop funding this pointless war with Iran. Republican, 66–75, NY
Work with our allies instead of tariffing them. Get back to being a world leader and not a bully. Modeled Democrat, 46–55, VA
Restore world opinion of the United States instead of world domination and bullying. Republican, 76+, IA
Also STOP this War! Democrat, 46–55, PA
Writing guidance
Say
- "Stop the war" / "pointless war." Blunt and imperative, from both parties.
- Connect it to the pump. Two voters did on their own: war in Iran, gas prices, tariffs, one sentence.
- "Allies," "bully." The vocabulary of the restore-relationships group. "Leader not a bully" appeared twice in different forms.
Avoid
- Strategic or deterrence framing. Nobody in this cohort argued the war on its merits. The other side of the question appeared three times in the whole sample ("no nukes for Iran," "stop being pushed around by Iran," "protecting our country and others from Iran"), each in passing.
- Treating the two groups as one. Only one respondent raised both the war and the allies; the two groups barely overlap.
Healthcare
n=18
What they're asking for: two registers. Seniors and independents want Medicare costs down (deductibles, supplemental plans on top of Medicare). A younger populist group wants Medicare for All as a litmus test. Independents are over-represented here.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 39%↑ · 46–65 44% · 66+ 17% Sex Women 44% · Men 56% Place Urban 22% · Suburban 39% · Rural/Town 39%
peoplekidsagewartaxesisraelbetterendtrumpuniversalcountrycitizensmedicarehealthcarestopPAC moneypaydata centersdollarsmoneycandidateadministrationiranhealthpricescostsupportvotelowercongress
Words used by 2 or more of the 18 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Lower senior Medicare deductibles and costs. Independent, 56–65, IA
Medicare should be free without expensive supplemental plans. Congress should have the same package. Modeled Republican, 56–65, VA
We are the wealthiest nation in the world with a broken for-profit healthcare system. Independent, 26–35, PA
Medicine should not be inaccessible due to finances and a private company declining you coverage. Modeled Democrat, 36–45, VA
Restore cuts to health care. Republican, 66–75, NY
Lower the cost of prescription drugs. Modeled Republican, 36–45, MI
Writing guidance
Say
- "Deductibles," "supplemental plans," "prescription drugs." The senior register is about out-of-pocket costs on top of Medicare, not about coverage.
- "Congress should have the same package." Appeared twice in different words; ties healthcare to the anti-perk sentiment in the character and money cohorts.
- "Healthcare prices" alongside groceries and gas. Several respondents listed it as a household bill, which is how to frame it for the affordability voter.
Avoid
- "Medicare for All" as a phrase unless you mean it. For the younger group it's a hard litmus test ("I'm not interested in any candidate that doesn't support it"); for the senior group it's not the ask at all.
- "Access." Nobody used it about healthcare. They used "afford," "cost," "free," "deductible."
Data centers & AI
n=16
What they're asking for: protection from a specific local harm. Nobody was asked about this and it surfaced sixteen times. The complaints are water, the grid and power bills, noise, wildlife, and farmland. AI and surveillance cameras travel with it as a general tech backlash.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 19% · 46–65 63%↑ · 66+ 19% Sex Women 56%↑ · Men 44% Place Urban 13% · Suburban 31% · Rural/Town 56%↑
noisespeakamericanscamerasaipacwaterhonestsurroundingstopwildlifewarendpeopledata centerstrumpbettertaxessurveillanceiceinsteadflockgivingamericancurrentcommunitiesagainstsupporthealthcaremoneycost
Words used by 2 or more of the 16 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Data centers endanger communities by weakening the electrical grid and using too much water cooling. The noise level they produce affects people's every day lives as well as the wildlife. Democrat, 36–45, PA
Data centers are popping up everywhere, devouring our water. NO MORE! Modeled Democrat, 46–55, MI
They are planning on building one in our town. We are selling our home and moving. Independent, 46–55, IA
Data centers don't belong in a desert. That seems so common sense and obvious. Local communities don't benefit, in fact, they get stuck with bigger bills to cover increased power generation to run the centers. Democrat, 56–65, AZ
They aren't going away but we need limits for sure. Democrat, 46–55, PA
We don't need more data centers, we need farmers to grow crops on that land so we don't have to rely on foreign countries for food. Independent, 66–75, PA
Examples include Shapiro in PA. A year ago he stood with Dave McCormick and Donald Trump taking credit for 90 billion investments in PA due to data centers. This past week, he is supporting a year moratorium for data centers. He is a good example of a do nothing politician. Republican, 56–65, PA
Writing guidance
Say
- "Water," "noise," "bills," "the grid." This is a neighborhood issue in voters' minds, not a technology issue.
- "Limits." The volunteered moderate position. "They aren't going away but we need limits" is a usable line as-is.
- "Our town," "our water." Possessive and local.
- "Farmers," "that land." One respondent named farming as what the land should be for instead; a second raised farmland separately, about housing.
- Specifics in writing. Where the water comes from, who pays for grid upgrades, whether the electric bill goes up. Voters know the details and will notice a candidate who doesn't.
Avoid
- Jobs or investment framing. Not one respondent talked about data centers as economic development, and the one who defended them still called the flip-flop the real sin.
- "AI" as the frame. It came up from only two respondents, as "AI slop," "AI surveillance," and a risk to children; even the one who called it "a very useful tool in the right hands" wanted it regulated.
Debt, spending & fraud
n=15
What they're asking for: fiscal seriousness, with "fraud" as the emotional core. Respondents used "fraud" more than "deficit." Bipartisan, and unusually willing to name pain.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 7% · 46–65 40% · 66+ 53%↑ Sex Women 47% · Men 53% Place Urban 33%↑ · Suburban 27% · Rural/Town 40%
nationallawintegritystealingaccountabilityjobsfraudillegalsamericanspayamericancountrydebtspendingstoptaxesendgovernmentelectedfoodholdableamericacarecannotmoneytaxpayersdownofficepeople
Words used by 2 or more of the 15 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
The debt is the existential threat and no one talks about it because fixing it will require some pain and no politician has any guts. Democrat, 66–75, AZ
Stop worrying about cutting taxes and look for spending cuts. Democrat, 66–75, PA
Pay down the national debt by spending less!!! Hold every department to pre-Covid spending levels without exception. Unaffiliated, 66–75, CO
Start holding people accountable for stealing from the American taxpayers, hence fraud. Republican, 56–65, PA
Stop spending money so I can keep my earned money. Stop giving money away. Democrat, 56–65, NJ
If it was fraud, indictments should have been handed down. Where is the money? Modeled Democrat, 76+, VA
Writing guidance
Say
- "Fraud," "stealing from taxpayers," "accountability." The moral vocabulary. Waste is boring; theft is not.
- "Pay down the debt," "spend less." Plain verbs. Nobody said "deficit reduction."
- "My earned money." Spending is framed as taking, and the possessive matters.
- "Guts." Voters explicitly said the problem is cowardice, not knowledge. Admitting it will hurt reads as honest.
Avoid
- Leading with tax cuts. Two Democrats specifically criticized tax cuts without spending cuts; the debt cohort is not the tax-cut cohort.
- "Waste, fraud, and abuse" as a slogan. One respondent called it "a sound bite" and asked where the indictments were. The phrase has been heard; the receipts haven't.
Elections
n=11
What they're asking for: "citizens only," voter ID, and (on the other side) protection of mail-in voting and voting rights. Small and split, but the word "citizens" is doing heavy lifting on the voter-ID side.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 0% · 46–65 45% · 66+ 55%↑ Sex Women 45% · Men 55% Place Urban 18% · Suburban 18% · Rural/Town 64%↑
favorfreerepublicanelectionswokefraudvotervotecitizensvotingdemocratmailtowardseveryonepeoplefairfightrightsillegals
Words used by 2 or more of the 11 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Mandatory Voter ID. No exceptions. Only citizens have the right to vote. Democrat, 56–65, PA
It's only common sense to show ID to vote. Republican, 66–75, PA
Vote is for US citizens ONLY. Modeled Independent, 56–65, VA
Fair and free elections for ALL citizens regardless of party, race, color, religion. Democrat, 76+, AZ
Mail in voting!!! Unaffiliated, 76+, CO
Writing guidance
Say
- "Citizens." Used on both sides: paired with "only" by the voter-ID respondents (one of them a registered Democrat) and with "all" by the voting-rights respondents.
- "Common sense" attached to voter ID by a Republican; "no exceptions" attached to it by a Democrat.
Avoid
- "Election integrity" as a phrase. Nobody used it. They said "ID," "citizens," "fraud," "fair."
- Assuming the D column is uniform. The strictest voter ID answer in the sample came from a registered Democrat.
Crime & safety
n=10
What they're asking for: safety framed through immigration, repeat offenders, and support for police. Almost never a standalone issue; it rides with immigration enforcement. Zero Democrats.
Who raises it → Age Under 46 10% · 46–65 40% · 66+ 50%↑ Sex Women 50% · Men 50% Place Urban 30%↑ · Suburban 20% · Rural/Town 50%↑
americanendcitizenssanctuarylawsupportbettersafecriminalspeoplecitizendeportstreetsillegalsstopgovernmentSecond Amendmentrightssafetypolicewomen's sportsaftereveryonehomecitieshelpcaremattercrimedrug
Words used by 2 or more of the 10 respondents on this topic · sized by number of people, not repetitions
Phrases to borrow
Don't let repeat offenders get off with no bail. Get drug dealers off the streets, and make it safe for women to walk home and take the train at night. Republican, 36–45, NY
Law and order first. Fully fund the police for salaries, equipment and training. Republican, 66–75, AZ
Better relationships between the police and the community. When I grew up OFFICER FRIENDLY was a safe person. Now children fear them. Unaffiliated, 56–65, PA
We need safety in this State. Republican, 66–75, AZ
Writing guidance
Say
- "Safe to walk home," "off the streets," "repeat offenders," "no bail." Concrete and local. The NY respondent's train line is the template.
- "Fund the police," "back the blue." Direct, and paired with immigration enforcement by the same voters.
Avoid
- Crime statistics. One respondent cited a figure; the rest cited walking home at night.
- Standalone crime messaging for this sample; it almost always appeared bundled with immigration or with the police-community relationship.
About this research
As part of our work testing new technologies available to campaigns, we partnered with Convos AI to text voters in battleground congressional districts, asking them what they would tell a candidate who wants to earn their vote. Using the AI we were able to probe with follow-ups to get a clearer response from those who replied.
This test was not trying to recreate the statistical significance of a poll, but gather actionable qualitative data for campaigners about how to talk about key electoral issues with specific groups.
Source: CCI SMS Qual Test 1, 202 respondents in a battleground congressional district random sample, September 2–3, 2026. One open question ("What would you tell a political candidate who wants to earn your vote this year?") plus one AI-generated probe. Responses were hand-coded into themes; a respondent can appear under several. Word clouds count how many distinct respondents used each word after light normalization (plurals merged, common function words removed). Quotes are verbatim, trimmed for length, with obvious typos corrected. In the "Who raises it" strips, ↑ marks an audience over-represented by 8 points or more against its share of the whole sample (age: 21% under 46, 38% 46–65, 41% 66+; sex: 54% men; place: 22% urban, 39% suburban, 40% rural/town).