--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have ever sat in a focus group in…" description: "\"If you have ever sat in a focus group in a swing state, you are 100% certain that most soft partisans make up their minds on who to vote for based on t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17a/christopher-michael-cillizza-1_certain_if-you-have-ever-sat-in-a-focus-group-in_1742932.jpg" --- # If you have ever sat in a focus group in a swing state… ![“If you have ever sat in a focus group in a swing state, you are 100% certain that most soft partisans make up their minds on who to vote for based on things that are totally outside of an understanding of issues.” quote by Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17a/christopher-michael-cillizza-1_certain_if-you-have-ever-sat-in-a-focus-group-in_1742932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17a/christopher-michael-cillizza-1_certain_if-you-have-ever-sat-in-a-focus-group-in_1742932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17a/christopher-michael-cillizza-1_certain_if-you-have-ever-sat-in-a-focus-group-in_1742932.jpg) > “If you have ever sat in a focus group in a swing state, you are 100% certain that most soft partisans make up their minds on who to vote for based on things that are totally outside of an understanding of issues.” [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Voters often decide based on emotions and identity rather than policy knowledge. **In simple terms:** People vote based on feelings, not facts. Key Takeaway Recognize emotional influences in politics. Themes politics identity decisionmaking Mood critical analytical Type observational commentary When to use this quote - campaign strategy - voter outreach - media analysis Key Concepts cognitive bias emotional reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How do emotions shape your political choices? - Can facts change a soft partisan’s mind? A Different Perspective Emotions can outweigh rational analysis in voting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-groups/) [Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Minds Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minds-vote-1536434/) [Partisans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisans/) [Partisans Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partisans-make-1536433/) [Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat/) [Soft Partisans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soft-partisans-1536432/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Swing State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swing-state-532004/) [Swings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swings/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a big believer if you want to change people's minds or get someone to vote for you, either a voter or a colleague,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/i-m-a-big-believer-if-you-want-to-change-people-s-minds-or-get/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Florida is a state made famous to most Americans by its sunny beaches, Disney and visiting retired grandparents. But Florida's place in America's elections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/florida-is-a-state-made-famous-to-most-americans-by-its-sunny-beaches/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [New Mexico has been, in the past, a swing state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-wilson/new-mexico-has-been-in-the-past-a-swing-state/) [Heather Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-wilson/) > [If the state polls are right, then Mr. Obama will win the Electoral College. 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You wanted to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/steve-jobs-always-believed-that-you-didn-t-want-to-do-focus-groups-or/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [It's really hard to design products by focus groups. A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-s-really-hard-to-design-products-by-focus-groups-a-lot-of-times/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [ ...The British press... \[claimed that Tony\] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blair-was-simply-bush-s-poodle-a/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) > [We don't do focus groups - that is the job of the designer. 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