New Polls Shows 60 Percent Of Americans In Favor Of Obamacare

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll release Friday shows that nearly 60 percent of American voters are in favor of preserving the Affordable Healthcare Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.

The poll found that nearly 60 percent of voters from both political parties support Obamacare on the whole, with numbers rising to 80 percent when individual protections, like those for pre-existing conditions, are examined.

The poll highlights the fact that health care has become the leading issue for many voters in the coming midterm elections. For nearly a decade, Republican lawmakers have campaigned on the goal of repealing Former President Barack Obama’s main legislative victory, but public opinion has shifted on the matter.

Democrats have used Obamacare’s surge in popularity to assail their Republican opponents in many key Congressional races.

A sizable portion of the House’s Republican incumbents have votes to repeal Obamacare or one of its protections on their voting record, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

In the races for the Senate, the health care question has caused candidates like Josh Hawley (R–Missouri) and Rick Scott (R–Fla.) to soften their stances on Obamacare.

Despite their new, more palatable rhetoric, both Missouri and Florida are signed on to a lawsuit attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R–Texas) has similarly come under fire for his claims for support for pre-existing conditions protections even though he pledged to shut down the government in 2013 in order to repeal the ACA.

The content of this year’s political ads proves the prominence of health care as an issue, as close to 55 percent of ads played between Sept. 18 and Oct. 15 mentioned health care, according to the Wesleyan Media Project.

Democrats need to win 23 more seats in the House in order to secure a majority in lower chamber. Polls from FiveThirtyEight give the Democrats an 84 percent chance of winning the House majority.