Ohio voters who backed President Donald Trump in 2016 but voted for Democrats in the past say they want a return to normalcy, but their preferred candidate isn't even allowed to run for the White House.
A recent focus group in Bowling Green that included 12 swing voters -- half of whom voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 and then backed Hillary Clinton, and half who backed Barack Obama and flipped to Trump -- are ready for change but nostalgic for the recent past, reported Axios.
Five out of six Obama/Trump voters said they would vote for the last president again, if he wasn't constitutionally barred from running again.
"If it were someone like Obama then maybe I'd vote against Trump," said Christopher Martinez, a 42-year-old IT specialist who backed Trump. "Somebody that's very honest and transparent."
"I think this country needs a sense of calmness," said Brenda R., a 62-year-old Obama/Trump voter.
So far, none of the 18 Democrats who are officially running have gained much traction in rural Ohio, but it seems that swing voters who backed Trump are regretful of their choice.
"I wanted something new and different to shake it up in a more positive way," Brenda R. said.
"I will definitely not vote for Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren," said Christopher DiRando, a 24-year-old high school teacher and Trump voter. "I just want to see a level-headed, competent person."
All but two of the dozen participants admitted they voted against the other candidate in 2016, rather than picking the candidate they actually liked.
“I didn’t want [Clinton] to be president," said Frederick W., a 23-year-old Trump voter. "I liked Trump more because he’s real. We knew what we were getting into when we voted for him.”