A new poll from Resurgent Republic shows independents increasingly leaning to the right on three key issues, with majorities favoring a repeal of President Obama’s health care reform bill, continued offshore drilling, and a freeze in federal spending.
If the trend holds, it could spell trouble for Democrats in the November midterm elections and beyond. Exit polls showed that independents — who made up approximately 29 percent of the voting electorate in 2008 — cast ballots in favor of President Obama by a margin of 52 to 44 in the 2008 presidential election.
The new poll focused on specific issues, and pitted two policy choices from “Congressman A” and “Congressman B” against each other.
“It’s not like we’re just asking one statement,” said Luke Frans, a spokesman for Resurgent Republic. “We’re trying to stimulate a debate. Hearing both sides, what do voters think?”
According to the new poll, independents increasingly stand with mainstream Republicans on key issues.
- Independents would like to repeal the health care reform bill by a margin of 52 to 39 and agree with a statement saying, in part, “Obama’s law will drive health care costs through the roof and bankrupt the country.”
- Independents support further offshore drilling, and, by a margin of 56 to 36, agree that “we should not let one bad accident in the Gulf divert us from the importance of more offshore drilling to create jobs and make us less dependent on foreign oil.”
- Independents say the federal budget should be frozen for five years, and agree, by a margin of 52 to 35, that “By funding only the top priorities, we will get the budget deficit back under control, and stop bankrupting the country and mortgaging our children’s future.”
“The shift of independents I would say has been predominantly on economic issues, driven by spending and debt,” Frans said. “That has been consistent in our polling since Resurgent was founded in April of 2009.”