Axios Risks a Rust Belt Misread

We were pleased to learn Axios, the upstart political news outlet, would be convening swing-state focus groups during the primary season. But we've been disappointed with how they are reporting on them. Axios is drawing too-broad conclusions from its qualitative research.

Focus groups serve a valuable exploratory function, helping researchers understand voters' attitudes and the values underpinning them. They do not generalize the views of a broader population – that's where survey research and representative samples come in. Instead, Axios has has made sweeping assertions based on anecdotal data. The headline below is case in point. Axios has drawn a conclusion about an entire category of voters based on a focus group of eight people.

The media has pledged not to repeat the mistakes of 2016, chief among them misreading public opinion data. We hope Axios wakes up before making the same mistake in 2020.