20 People In Swing States Confessed How They REALLY Feel About The 2024 Election, And I Appreciate The Brutal Honesty

Hi everyone, we're back with BuzzFeed's 2024 Election Diaries! Inspired by one of the most divided election years in US history, I asked different groups of voters what their #1 political issue is AND which candidate they plan to vote for in November.

This week, we're focusing on battleground state voters.

Recently, I asked voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania to anonymously share their plans for the 2024 presidential election.

Here are 20 political confessions from real-life voters in swing states:

All voter images used are AI-generated.

1."The economy is my top issue because I can't afford to live in 2024. I'm voting for Trump."

2."My top issue is ending US imperialism. I believe that Cornel West will truly fight for the people instead of attempting to maintain the status quo like one of the main party candidates."

3."My top issue is education. There are far too many people running for seats in NC that aim to dismantle public education. I'm not sure any candidate, particularly at the federal level, is worth a vote. Nobody actually cares about us, but rather the money big corporations can offer."

4."Women's rights is my top issue. I want my rights back. I can't believe we've gone back in time, and unfortunately, what Trump set up in the Supreme Court allowed it. I could never vote for him, though Biden is definitely getting old, and I worry about our future as a country."

5."My top issue is the economy. I live in a write-in state, and I will be writing in Nikki Haley. I wrote her in last time. Trump and Biden will not receive my vote. It is pitiful that two old men are all America has to offer voters."

6."My top issue is women's rights. I'm voting for RFK because he's the only candidate addressing issues and suggesting what his solutions would be instead of finger-pointing at the other two. He is the only candidate actually speaking on our economy, big government, policy, and the current state of the US."

7."The border and the economy are my top issues. I’m voting for Trump because he’ll close the border and deport millions of people here illegally, and he will restore our economy, military, and law enforcement."

8."I am absolutely disgusted with the way Biden has been handling the genocide in Gaza and is still sending Israel money and bombs. I voted for Biden last time, but I refuse to this time."

9."My top issue is the continuation of democracy. I'm a veteran who views Trump as a traitor to his oath of office, and his authoritarian views are the antithesis of what made America great."

10."Trump made America great back in 2020. If we don’t have borders, we don’t have a country."

11."My top issue is preserving the rights of everyone: women, minorities, LGBTQ+ people, etc. I'm voting for RFK because what other choice is there? Is this really the best the country has to offer for president?"

12."My biggest issue is education and the public school system. I'm voting for Biden because he actually cares about public schools. He has people on his board who didn't all go to private school. He isn't saying schools are indoctrinating our children, and he wants free universal preschool."

13."Our southern border and immigration are my top issues. Donald Trump's lack of morals makes me sick, but he's a businessman, and that's what our country needs right now."

14."My top issues are healthcare and gun control. I think the cost of healthcare is the biggest scam in this country. The premiums, deductibles, in-network/out-of-network, it’s all ridiculous and confusing."

15."Women's healthcare is my top issue. As a woman and a mother with daughters, I want to ensure my daughters' freedom to make decisions about their own bodies. I served my country yet have fewer rights than a fetus in my state! Also, as someone in healthcare, I believe in access for all without fear of going bankrupt."

16."The preservation of democracy is my most important issue, so I’m voting for Biden because Trump is the most unqualified person to ever run for president."

17."My top issue is the cost of living. There are six months until the general election, and very little has been said about the cost of living. I am fed up with having to pay astronomical prices for groceries and energy due to ongoing shortages from supply chains, yet companies are posting record profits."

18."My top issue is the economy. Ultimately, I’m supporting RFK because the two main candidates are too old and incompetent to be running for office."

19."I truly think that things were better under Trump. While my main concern is the border, my next biggest issue is the economy. I'm just about to graduate high school, and I know for a fact I'm not moving out of my parents' house for at least five years because everything is so expensive. I also think prioritizing random people who just come across the border over our own citizens is wrong. This is the very basic reason why the first vote I'll ever cast will go for Trump."

And finally...

20."My #1 issue is the economy. I’m voting for Jill Stein because, despite all the crowing about unemployment rates and the stock market, ordinary people are struggling to make ends meet while corporations gloat about record profits."

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! In the next round, we'll focus on LGBTQ+ voters nationwide ahead of Pride Month. If you're a voter who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, we want to hear from you via this anonymous Google form. Your response may be featured in an upcoming post!

Responses have been edited for length/clarity. 

Don't forget to check out last week's post about senior voters here.