A new poll of voters found that they are opposed to the Trump administration’s lawsuit to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions by a 2 to 1 margin.
According to a survey from Hart Research Associates:
By 66% to 34%, voters disapprove of the Trump Justice Department ’s actions in supporting this lawsuit. Nearly half (47%) of all voters strongly disapprove, while only 11% strongly approve. Overwhelming majorities of both Democrats (87%) and independents (72%) disapprove of the Trump administration’s actions, while Republicans are much more divided in their views (57% approve, 43% disapprove). The high degree of disapproval among non-college-educated white women voters (66% disapprove, 47% strongly disapprove) is notable because it underlines the degree to which the lawsuit and the issue of preexisting conditions puts this part of the Trump base into play for 2018.
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When asked earlier in the survey which party is more likely to “make sure people with preexisting medical conditions can get affordable insurance coverage,†voters choose Democrats over Republicans by a wide 63% to 37%. This 26-point margin is especially noteworthy given that Democrats have only a three-point advantage in party identification overall in the survey sample. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of all voters say they would have major doubts about a Republican candidate who “voted to weaken protections for people with preexisting medical conditions, which would allow insurance companies to charge people with preexisting conditions much more to get coverage,†including 50% who have very major doubts. Even among those who are otherwise inclined to vote for a Republican for Congress, three in 10 would have very major doubts about a GOP candidate who supports weakening protections for people with preexisting conditions.
Thw 2018 midterm election is going to be about healthcare
Healthcare consistently polls as the top or a top two issue is the minds of voters as they prepare to vote in the midterm. While Trump is bragging about taking healthcare away from 4 million Americans by “gutting” Obamacare, voters are signaling that will vote against any candidate who supports taking away the protections that the law currently provides. Health insurance premiums are back to skyrocketing. Millions of people are losing their coverage, and if Trump and the GOP follow through on their plan to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions, 130 million Americans will be enraged and ready to flood the polling places. Florida attorney general Pam Bondi was chased from a movie theater by protesters after she announced that she intended to eliminate protections for pre-existing conditions.
Trump vowed to destroy Obamacare, now Obamacare is coming to destroy him
It isn’t going to be the Russia or immigration that decides the midterm election. Control of Congress is going to be decided by the kitchen table issue of healthcare. Democrats need to be running in every district and state on protecting healthcare. For years, Obamacare was seen as the Democratic Party’s greatest electoral weakness. It has become their biggest strength, and their path to taking back Congress is running on Obamacare from sea to shining sea.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
