# The Cutting Room Floor – Mar 6, 2026

Mar 6

Written By [Lindsey Morrow](https://www.tavernresearch.com/research-and-writings?author=698f8c20a83e2907a6bfb822)

_Stuff that didn't make the cut but was too good to toss_

Friday, March 6, 2026

It's Friday. Here's some stuff we found interesting this week, but couldn't fit into a full post. Take what's useful, ignore what's not, have a good weekend.

**"Taxpayer money shouldn't pay for strip club trips" tests at 72%.** The top-performing message on the Labor Secretary scandal. "Reagan Democrats" framing tests at 30%. Turns out voters just want basic professionalism.

**The "Secretary of War" rebrand polls at -23.** 52% oppose vs. 29% support. The "warrior ethos" pitch is getting crushed by the "performative militarism" critique. The branding is less popular than the war itself. Oof.

**The Kuwait friendly-fire incident splits voters 36-36.** 28% unsure—the highest uncertainty on any Iran question. The fog-of-war narrative is working for neither side. Yet.

**The Pentagon's Ivy League tuition ban polls at -28.** The single most unpopular policy in our survey. Turns out voters don't want to restrict service members' educational opportunities, even if they're skeptical of elite universities. Who knew.

**"Culture war cosplay" is landing.** Messages that pair the strip club scandal with the Secretary of War title—framing it as "too distracted by theatrics to keep troops safe"—test at 65%+. The frivolity frame is working.

_See you next week. Go outside._

_Methodology: Findings drawn from Tavern Research surveys and message testing, February 27 - March 2, 2026. AI-assisted drafting, human-verified analysis. Powered by the same tools we build for our clients._