A new survey from Navigator Research reveals high levels of overall support for a Biden-backed plan to boost the economy. Specifically, the poll describes Biden’s plan as — if enacted — set to “cut taxes for most families with children, address climate change, make access to child care, health care, and elder care more accessible, and expand Medicare benefits for seniors.” The plan, which had a price of $3.5 trillion recently announced, would cover policy areas left out of the bipartisan infrastructure deal that is under more immediate consideration by the Senate. In Navigator Research’s survey, 54 percent of overall survey respondents said they supported that $3.5 trillion deal, while among independents, 45 percent expressed support.
NEW POLLING:
Majorities support President Biden’s economic plan both nationally and across 2022 battlegrounds. pic.twitter.com/ZEyE4QGKoa
— Navigator Research (@NavigatorSurvey) July 30, 2021
The Navigator Research survey breaks down results by so-called battleground states including New Hampshire and Wisconsin. In Wisconsin — which, next year, will be a key part of the Senate elections map — a full 52 percent of overall respondents indicated that they support the $3.5 trillion Biden plan. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) has yet to announce whether he will run for re-election next year, but the election forecasting organization known as The Cook Political Report already rates his seat as a toss-up. They also rate two other currently GOP-held seats, in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, as toss-ups. Last November, Biden won Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and he came close to victory in North Carolina.
Recently, a full 17 Senate Republicans (among 50 overall) voted to take up the bipartisan infrastructure agreement (which, again, is distinct from the $3.5 trillion plan that was the subject of the survey). Johnson didn’t vote in favor of taking up that bipartisan deal for consideration by the Senate, although even the infamously obstructionist Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted for the move. Meanwhile, the $3.5 trillion deal could be passed with Democrats alone, since a process known as budget reconciliation allows for the passage by the Senate of certain budget-related bills with simple majorities, bypassing the Senate’s filibuster rules that ordinarily demand the agreement of at least 60 Senators in the 100-member chamber before moving forward on most bills. Advocates have pushed for changes to the filibuster rules, which stand in the way of potential progress on enacting new voting rights protections, among other issues.
