Voters ready to punish Members who cave on health care

Overall, 60 percent of voters surveyed said they would vote for the candidate who opposes the proposed health care legislation—that’s nearly twice (32 percent) those who would reward a health care supporter with their vote. Intensity was again on the side of those rejecting current legislation: 38 percent definitely will vote for a candidate opposed to the bill compared to 22 percent who will definitely vote for a health care legislation supporter.

Here’s one finding that’s particularly important for those Members wavering about how to vote this week: if you voted against health care reform in November, your constituents want you to vote against it again. If you voted for it in November, you can help yourself by switching your vote this time around. Sixty-one percent will be less supportive (compared to 29 percent who will be more supportive) of a Member who switched from voting against the bill to voting for the health care bill. In contrast, nearly half (49 percent) will be more supportive (compared to 40 percent who will be less supportive) of a Member who switches from voting for the bill to voting against it.

There are many reasons for Members to vote against this bill: from the policy to the process that has been used to advance it. Yet perhaps the most compelling reason is that Members are elected to represent their constituents—and it is overwhelmingly clear how their constituents would vote on health care if they truly had a voice in Congress.

Carrie Lukas is a fellow at Independent Women’s Voice.