Pollster Lee Carter: Dials show independents want to hear more about law & order, economic recovery (2024)

Independent voters “want to hear more about lawand order” and “theeconomic recovery,” pollster Lee Cartertold “” on Thursday.

Carter, the president of Maslansky & Partners,broadcast her "voter dials," which assessthe real-time reactions to the Republican National Convention from voters across the political spectrum, rating candidates' statements from A to F.

During the third night of the Republican convention Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence painted a dark picture of what the nation would look like if Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wins November’s general election, warning that “you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.”

“Last week Joe Bidensaiddemocracy is on the ballot and the truth is our economicrecovery is on the ballot, law and order are on the ballot, but so are things far morefundamental and foundational toour country,” Pence said during his speech at the RNC on Wednesday night.

He added, “The choice in this election iswhether America remains America.”

Carter said, “Republicans lovedthis message” and gave it an A grade. She said independent voters gave it a B and Democrats gave the message an F.

She noted that the grades from Republicans and Democrats were “not surprising.”

“What we really are focused on is thatindependent line who gave MikePence a very good grade lastnight,” Carter said, adding that independent voters“really resonated with this.”

“They want to hear more about lawand order, they want to hear more about theeconomic recovery,” she continued. “Those are the issues that arevery, very important to them sothey graded this very well.”

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem opened the third night of the 2020 Republican National Convention by painting a dark portrait of American cities amid the widespread unrest and violence gripping many of them following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody and, more recently,the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

“It took 244 years to buildthis great nation, flaws andall, but we stand to lose it in a tinyfraction of that time if wecontinue down the path taken bythe Democrats and their radicalsupporters,” Noem said during her speech.

“Democrat-run cities across thiscountry are being overrun byviolent mobs,” she added.

RNC SPEAKER MADISON CAWTHORN RISES OUT OF WHEELCHAIR, AFTER RECALLING ACCIDENT THAT LEFT HIM PARALYZED FROM WAIST DOWN

Noem also said that “people that canafford to flee have fled, but the people that can't, good,hardworking Americans are leftto fend for themselves.”

Carter noted that Republicans gave Noem an A grade, independents gave her a Bminus andDemocrats gave her speech an F.

“The only dip here waswhen she referred to Democratsas the radicals and that's not something that independents are liking,” Carter said. “They don't like thispolarization.They don't like the evilness,that portrayal of evil as other.”

“But the message did resonate,” she continued, noting that “a lot of folks arereally interested in hearingmore about her and thought thisis going to be someone to watchfor years to come.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., also addressed Republicansduring the third night of the convention, drawing a line between Democrats and Republicans in their responses to thecrises that have hit the United States in recent times.

Blackburn condemned the Democrats' stanceson the coronavirus, the role of police and China.

“Joe Biden,Kamala Harrisandtheir radical allies try todestroy these heroes because ifthere are no heroes to inspireus, government can control us,” Blackburn said Wednesday night.

“If the Democrats had their way, they would keep you locked in your house until you become dependent on the government for everything,” she added. “That sounds a lot like Communist China to me.”

Carter said the reaction from dialers to Blackburn’s speech was “not quiteas positive as the othermessages” from the third night of the RNC. She noted that Republicans gave the speech a B-plus grade, independents gave it a B-minus andDemocrats gave it an F.

Carter noted that attacks “generally don't get as much of apositive reaction as some of thoseother messages.”

Madison Cawthorn, the 25-year-oldNorth Carolina Republican vying for a House seat, on Wednesday night told hispersonal story of the tragic accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down before dramatically rising from his wheelchair to conclude his address.

Host Steve Doocy said he thought it was “the most powerful image” of the third night of the RNC.

“Americans who love ourcountry young and old be a radical for freedom, be a radical for liberty and be a radical for ourrepublic for which I stand, onenation, under God with theliberty and justice for all,” Cawthorn said as he stood up. “Thank you and may God blessAmerica.”

Carter said “Republicansand independents both gave thisan A,” adding that“even Democrats gave this a C,which is a big deal.”

“This was inspiring,” she continued.“This is what the American spiritis all about.”

She pointed out that“So many of the voters thatresponded said this is thehighlight of their night.”

Carter also noted that Cawthorn is a “young gun towatch in the Republican Partyand a lot of people are excitedabout him and [he] really drew a lotof enthusiasm.”

Carter pointed out that independent voters participating in her survey seemed to be “operating in the neutral zone” during last week’s Democratic National Convention, “whileyou saw the polarization ofRepublicans and Democrats justlike this.”

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“You do see independents aligninga little bit more withRepublicans this week,” she continued, adding that the polls are starting to reflect that as well.

“And so the real question is, is this atrend that's going to continue?Is this message really speaking to the independent voters?” she asked.“We’re going to have to keep watchingit.”

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser, Andrew O’Reilly and Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.