Many Voters in Districts With Tight Races Favor Repeal of Reform Law
A majority of voters in competitive congressional districts favor repealing the federal health reform law, according to a survey conducted by The Hill/ANGA, The Hill reports.
The poll was conducted from Sept. 25 to Sept. 30 via phone interviews of 4,809 likely voters living in 12 congressional districts, with a margin of error of 1.4%.
Survey Findings
The survey found that 56% of voters in surveyed districts wanted the law repealed.
In addition, it found that 49% of undecided voters and 23% of Democrats favored repealing the law. Meanwhile, 64% of Democrats opposed repealing the measure, along with 27% of undecided voters.
According to The Hill, the poll suggests that first-year House Democrats in these districts have a declining chance for re-election because a significant amount of Democrats do not support the overhaul (Cusack, The Hill, 10/6).
Daschle Says Overhaul Still Vulnerable
In his forthcoming book, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) writes that opponents of the reform law "can still do real damage" to it, Politico reports.
Daschle writes, "By constantly suggesting to the public that the law is illegitimate, they could encourage large groups of Americans to give up on the law, or even fight it, before it has had a chance to prove itself."
In addition, he notes that past controversial measures, such as Medicare, did not have as many threats posed by opponents (Haberkorn, Politico, 10/6).
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