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Health care has emerged as the highest difficulty for voters headed into the midterm elections, however fewer than half of them say they’re listening to rather a lot from candidates on the problem, in accordance with a brand new ballot launched Thursday.
Seven in 10 individuals record well being care as “very important” as they make their voting selections, eclipsing the economic system and jobs (64 p.c), gun coverage (60 p.c), immigration (55 p.c), tax cuts (53 p.c) and overseas coverage (51 p.c).
When requested to decide on only one difficulty, almost a 3rd picked well being care, in accordance with the survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. (KHN is an editorially impartial program of the muse.)
Still, midterm elections are historically a referendum on the president and his get together, and that holds true this yr as two-thirds of voters say a candidate’s help or opposition to President Donald Trump can be a significant factor of their voting determination, the ballot discovered.
Health care was additionally the highest difficulty chosen general by voters dwelling in areas recognized within the survey as political battlegrounds, though the outcomes diversified when pollsters drilled right down to political events. Nearly four in 10 Democratic battleground voters and three in 10 independents selected well being care as their most vital difficulty in voting for Congress.
Among Republican voters, immigration was their prime difficulty, garnering 25 p.c in contrast with 17 p.c for well being care.
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The ballot ends in two battleground states — Florida and Nevada — additionally underscored voters’ curiosity for protecting the Affordable Care Act’s protections for individuals with preexisting situations, some of the in style provisions within the regulation.
Democrats have made that a key a part of their marketing campaign, pointing to Republicans’ votes to repeal the complete regulation and attempting to drive house the message that the GOP’s efforts would strip that assure.
Nonetheless, Republicans have not too long ago sought to combat again on that difficulty, promising on the stump and in marketing campaign advertisements that they perceive the necessity to maintain the protections and would work to do this.
Nearly 7 in 10 Florida voters stated they’re extra more likely to vote for a candidate who desires to keep up the protections for individuals with preexisting situations, whereas 9 p.c stated they’re extra more likely to vote for a candidate who desires to eradicate these protections.
In Nevada, almost 70 p.c of voters additionally stated they needed the ACA preexisting protections assured.
In Florida, the place the deadliest mass college taking pictures in American historical past befell final February, well being care additionally was the highest difficulty amongst voters. Twenty-six p.c of Florida voters listed well being as their prime difficulty. The economic system and gun coverage tied for the second-biggest difficulty at 19 p.c.
The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., left 17 college students and employees members lifeless, spurred huge marches across the nation and stirred nationwide debate on gun coverage.
Florida is historically a key battleground state however extra so this yr with shut races for the U.S. Senate and governor’s race hanging within the steadiness.
Nearly half of Florida voters stated they’re extra more likely to vote for a candidate who desires to develop Medicaid.
Florida is one in every of 17 states that has chosen to not develop Medicaid underneath the well being regulation, leaving tens of 1000’s of its grownup residents with out medical health insurance. The Republican-controlled legislature has refused to just accept tens of millions of in federal funding to increase the protection.
Two in 10 Democratic voters in Florida stated help for a candidate supporting a nationwide well being plan, or “Medicare-for-all,” is an important well being care place for a candidate to take. Andrew Gillum, the Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee, has stated he would help a nationwide well being plan.
In Nevada, which additionally has a key Senate battle, the ballot discovered almost 1 / 4 of voters stated well being care was the highest difficulty of their choices this yr, however immigration and the economic system had been very shut behind.
Nearly a 3rd of Democrats in Nevada stated they’re in search of a candidate who helps a single-payer well being plan.
Just underneath a 3rd of Republicans in Florida and Nevada stated that a candidate’s help of repealing the ACA is an important well being difficulty once they vote.
The ballot of 1,201 adults was carried out Sept. 19-Oct. 2. The nationwide survey has a margin of error of +/-Three proportion factors.
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Phil Galewitz: [email protected]”>[email protected], @philgalewitz
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