President Donald Trump won the votes of millions of Republicans in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and yet many have soured on him as he struggles to fix the economy, faces ethics scandals and seemingly disregards Republican Party interests in favor of promoting his own brand.
On Monday, one three-time Trump voter voiced her frustration to the Associated Press (AP).
“I think it’s insulting to people in the 7th that someone who lacks qualifications and any life experiences and any kind of demonstrable leadership skills or experience is even being touted as a candidate,” Meg Ellefson, a 20-year resident of Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district, told the AP regarding Trump endorsing the 26-year-old Michael Alfonso to represent that seat. Despite lacking any relevant experience, Alfonso is the son-in-law of former reality TV star Sean Duffy, who went from starring in “The Real World” to serving as Trump’s Secretary of Transportation.
Ellefson, who said she now opposes Trump, added that the endorsement is “super aggravating to me.”
The Aug. 11 primary will test whether Trump’s endorsement of Alfonso, Duffy’s star power in his old congressional district and Alfonso’s fundraising advantage will be enough to put the political newcomer over the top.
This is not the first time in summer 2026 that a three-time Trump voter has publicly complained about his performance as president. Last month MS NOW correspondent Alex Talbot spoke with a three-time Trump voter in Florida who was upset that the president’s economic policies have failed to help him.
“It's frustrating that you see your president getting richer and richer, and the middle class getting poorer,” the voter said to Talbot. When asked if he had to pick one word to describe how he feels about Trump enriching himself while ignoring ordinary voters’ economic concerns, the voter replied that he is “confused, and a little disappointed. Not what I had hoped things would be when I voted for him.” He added, when asked if he feels richer or poorer since Trump took office, that he feels “poorer.”
Also in June a three-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania told CNN”s John King that he believed Trump was acting like a standard politician.
"As of right now, I see President Trump is kind of acting like a regular old politician to me. And no love," Babb told King.
King asked Babb if Democrats should do more to check Trump’s power.
"Yeah," Babb agreed. "No love lost from my opinion."
Similarly, Ohio three-time Trump voter Annette Dombrowski told MS NOW reporter Alex Hebit that she suffers emotionally because of Trump’s policies.
“I actually have panic attacks,” Dombrowski, who works as a janitor, told Hebit. “I've had a couple this past week and I get very emotional over it. I don't want to work anymore, but I can't afford to retire.” When Hebit asked Dombrowski if she believed Trump understands her plight, she said she did not.
“No, he hasn't lived it to understand it. He sees it. He has not lived it. He needs to live it,” Dombrowski told Hebit. “Wear the clothes. Wear the shoes. Wear the Walmart clothes. Wear your Walmart shoes. Do your thrift store shopping. Don't eat steaks. I don't get to go out to dinner. … It's not an overnight thing, but it's been two years now. You said you'd bring down the grocery prices. I must be the most angry person when I grocery shop, because I buy the same things every week, and I see it jump every week.”
