+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Americans' support for Obamacare is at an all-time high, and it could be a huge boost for Democrats

Oct 18, 2018, 20:29 IST

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden share a laugh in the Oval Office July 21, 2014.White House/Pete Souza

Advertisement
  • Support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement - the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare - is at record highs less than three weeks before the midterm elections.
  • A majority of Americans (53%) and of likely voters (54%) approve of the healthcare law.
  • That is also significantly more than the 45% who approve of the Republican tax cuts passed last year.
  • The results could provide a boost to Democrats in November's elections as voters list healthcare as their top issue.

Support for President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement - the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare - is at record highs less than three weeks before the midterm elections, according to a new Fox News poll.

A majority of Americans (53%) and of likely voters (54%) approve of the healthcare law, significantly more than the 45% who approve of the Republican tax cuts passed last year.

The polling represents a huge shift from just after the 2016 election, when approval for Obamacare hovered in the low 40s. It marks the culmination of two years of increasing approval of the law and the highest approval rating among registered voters polled by Fox since March 2015.

And last year's Republican effort to repeal the healthcare law was deeply unpopular. The American Health Care Act, which Republicans failed to pass the Senate. One poll found approval for the repeal law at 17%, while others found that as little as 8% of Americans supported the passage of the new law. A study found that the Republican effort - the attempted fulfillment of a key campaign promise - was the most unpopular bill in three decades.

Advertisement

Former President Barack Obama joked at a gathering last year that his signature domestic achievement was more popular than his successor, who had the lowest approval ratings of any president in modern history during hist first 100 days in office.

But on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted that Republican lawmakers would resume their efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare following November's midterm elections, calling the party's failure to do so last year "the one disappointment of this Congress from a Republican point of view."

This year, voters have consistently listed healthcare among their top concerns. And Democrats are leveraging their upper hand on the issue to rally around a more radical shift in policy, namely single-payer healthcare, or "Medicare for All."

You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article