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Tags: Frank Luntz | Focus Group | Clinton | Won | Debate

Frank Luntz Focus Group: Clinton Won

Frank Luntz Focus Group: Clinton Won

Hillary Clinton (AP Photo)

By    |   Tuesday, 27 September 2016 10:45 AM EDT

Undecided voters in Pennsylvania say Hillary Clinton won Monday night's presidential debate, according to CBS News' Frank Luntz.

The Republican strategist asked a group of undecided voters in the Keystone State who won the debate and 16 people said Clinton, only five said Donald Trump.

"He went off message," Vincent H., a group member, told Luntz after he asked where they thought Trump performed poorly. "Lately, he's been very good with his speeches and his appearances where he has stayed on message. No personal attacks. Just sold himself and his plan instead of attacking, and tonight he went back to attacking."

"He was completely offensive," voter Sabrina said. "He lost me on the racial unity. And that's where I draw the line."

Others focused on Clinton's performance.

"I felt a little better," another voter, Ralph, said. "I think she did come through as being comfortable and presidential."

But some were unconvinced by either candidate.

"I would like competency and a track record of success," voter Matthew H. said.

"And you didn't feel you got it?" Luntz asked.

"Not in one person," Matthew responded.

Voter Judy M. said she was "angry because neither of these candidates has actually said anything that they are really going to do. They are so busy sniping at each other and at the people around them, they haven't bothered to remember they are in a political election and they need to tell me something."

Of the 12 who said the debate helped them reach a decision, 10 chose Clinton, while only two said Trump.

"They wanted to see in Donald Trump that he was presidential," Luntz said during an appearance of "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday.

"What they meant was, they wanted to feel like he has a grasp of the issues and specific ideas. They weren't expecting the details that Hillary Clinton has, but they wanted to see more from him. For her, they wanted to see candor, they wanted to see who they felt they could trust," Luntz continued.

"They got some of that with Clinton. They did not get what they were looking for from Trump, and in fact it's one of the reasons that they felt that it wasn't so much that Hillary Clinton won the debate, they felt that Trump lost the debate."

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Headline
Undecided voters in Pennsylvania say Hillary Clinton won Monday night's presidential debate, according to CBS News' Frank Luntz.
Frank Luntz, Focus Group, Clinton, Won, Debate
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2016-45-27
Tuesday, 27 September 2016 10:45 AM
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