New Priorities USA Poll: Trump’s Plan to Undermine Obamacare is Toxic with Voters
MEMORANDUM
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Priorities USA
Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group
Global Strategy Group
DATE: July 28, 2017
RE:New Priorities USA Poll: Trump’s Plan to Undermine Obamacare is Toxic with Voters
Summary
The failed attempt by Senate Republicans to pass a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act does not mark the end of Republicans’ political problems on health care. In addition to the highly toxic nature of the votes that endangered Republicans have already cast, voters feel strongly that Republicans should move on from their efforts to repeal Obamacare and instead work to support and improve the law. Further, President Trump’s stated plan of making the Affordable Care Act fail is unpopular with voters and would be highly damaging to Republicans if carried out.
What Voters Want to Happen Next
Congressional Democrats have already made it clear that they are ready and willing to work with Republicans to strengthen and improve the Affordable Care Act to help provide better health care to the American people. That is exactly what voters want to see happen.
75 percent of all voters, including 64 percent of Trump voters, say that President Trump and Republicans in Congress have a responsibility to implement and improve the Affordable Care Act to help provide health care for the American people. When asked about President Trump’s plan to let Obamacare fail, 56 percent of voters say it makes them feel less favorably toward Trump versus just 32 percent who view him more favorably.
When asked what Trump and Republicans should do after unsuccessfully attempting to pass a new health care law, voters overwhelmingly said they should move on to something else (53%) rather than keep trying to repeal and replace Obamacare (39%). Even a quarter (23%) of Trump voters agree that it’s time for Trump and Republicans to move on to something else.
Democratic Messaging
Our survey tested two different approaches to talking about the future of health care under President Trump and Congressional Republicans. Both were highly effective.
A: Some people say that the Republican health care bill was so unpopular with the public that even some Republicans were unwilling to vote for it. But Trump and the Republicans still have a responsibility to improve our health care system. Instead of continuing to move forward with their failed plan to replace Obamacare, Trump and the Republicans should work together with Democrats to improve Obamacare to ensure more Americans get the health care they need.
Having heard this, who do you agree with more?
- Those who say Trump and the Republicans have a responsibility to improve the health care system: 75 percent
- Those who say Trump and the Republicans should let Obamacare fail: 16 percent
B: Some people say that Obamacare is not failing. What’s really happening is that Trump and the Republicans are trying to make Obamacare fail, with the Trump administration even running a public relations campaign against Obamacare using tax dollars that were supposed to be for helping people sign up for health insurance. The Republicans have a responsibility to improve our health care system. They should stop playing political games and instead help implement Obamacare to ensure more Americans get the health care they need.
Having heard this, who do you agree with more?
- Those who say Trump and the Republicans have a responsibility to improve the health care system: 69 percent
- Those who say Trump and the Republicans should let Obamacare fail: 19 percent
About This Poll
Global Strategy Group and Garin Hart Yang Research Group conducted a live telephone survey of 1,013 presidential year voters nationwide, from July 24th to 27th, 2017. The results of this survey have a margin of error of +/-3.1%. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the electorate are properly represented.