Most voters want a big stimulus - and they want it fast

• A new poll finds that most Americans support immediate and large emergency relief.
• Both the immediacy and size of a package have bipartisan support.
• A slim majority of Americans support congressional Democrats moving forward without GOP support.

A new poll from Invest in America and Data for Progress finds that the majority of Americans, including Republicans, wants to pass emergency relief quickly - and voters want a lot of it.

The groups surveyed 1,126 likely voters from January 29, 2021 through February 1, 2021. What they found was that 69% of respondents agreed that the country is in an emergency, and more relief should be passed as soon as possible.

While 80% of Democrats agreed with that statement, it also enjoyed bipartisan support: they were joined by 55% of Republicans.

Respondents felt similarly when it came to how much fiscal support the relief package should include. Overall, 68% said that "we should be prioritizing as much support as possible" for small businesses, essential frontline workers, and regular Americans. Again, 80% of Democrats agreed with that statement - and 55% of Republicans.

Without a stimulus, as Insider previously reported, the unemployment rate may not return to pre-pandemic levels for a decade. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that unemployment will fall to 5.7% by the third quarter of this year, and around 5% in 2022; it may dip to 4% in 2025. The unemployment rate was 3.5% in February 2020.

A slim majority of Americans support passing immediate relief without GOP support

Fifty-five percent of respondents said that Democrats should pass a coronavirus relief bill as soon as possible - even without support from congressional Republicans. Of those surveyed, 75% of Democrats agreed - but were joined by only 35% of Republicans.

In fact, 56% of Republicans said that Democrats in Congress should wait to pass a bill until it has Republican support, even if it that means a lower level of relief and benefits. On Wednesday, as Insider's Joseph Zeballos-Roig reported, Democrats voted to circumvent Republicans and begin passing the stimulus package.

The poll also looked at the popularity of different measures in the relief package, including $1,400 checks - whose distribution and eligibility have been a hot topic - as well as a $15 federal minimum wage.

Overall, 77% of respondents supported $1,400 checks; 54% strongly supported them. The minimum wage increase saw a more mixed bag; a total of 54% of respondents support the raise, but only 38% strongly supported it - and 23% strongly opposed it.