Poll suggests shutdown may hurt GOP efforts to win Senate
Published October 17, 2013
by Rob Christensen, Under the Dome, News and Observer, October 17, 2013.
Voters in six states with key races that will determine control of the U.S. Senate next year, are very unhappy about the government shutdown, according to a new poll.
The survey, which included North Carolina, suggests that the shutdown will make it more difficult for Republicans to regain control of the Senate. The survey by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm in Raleigh tested voter sentiment in North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana, Iowa and Arkansas.
In North Carolina, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan leads a generic Republican by a 47-42 percent margin. Voters oppose a government shutdown by a 63-29 percent margin and when they’re informed that Hagan opposes a government shutdown her lead over a generic opponent increases to a 49-41 percent margin.
However, voters did not say they were more likely to vote for Hagan knowing she was against the shutdown.
Tar Heel voters also had an unfavorable view of the tea party, with 35 percent viewing it favorably, 49 percent viewing it unfavorably, and 16 percent not sure.
The poll was conducted Oct. 14 and 15 on behalf of Americans United for Change, an advocacy group that pushes for keeping Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs. The North Carolina portion of the poll interviewed 837 voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.
October 17, 2013 at 9:13 am
Norm Kelly says:
So those polled were informed that Hagan opposed a government shutdown. Based on what information? Did Hagan vote for a budget proposed by Democrats? Or did Hagan vote for or against any of the funding bills passed by the House and sent to the Senate? If Hagan joined her Democrat leadership and prevented ANY funding proposals from being considered in the Senate, then Hagan can SAY anything she wants about a government shutdown, but she was FOR it as much as Harry Reid and Obama were FOR it.
If the record shows that Hagan was in favor of funding government agencies, and was willing to vote on bills sent to the Senate by the House, then it can be proven that Hagan opposed a shutdown.
But since Hagan is a Democrat first and a North Carolinian second, I doubt Hagan was in favor of or voted for ANY bill sent from the House to fund the government. I believe if Hagan's voting record is studied, any honest person would find that she has voted FOR tax increases, voted FOR continued deficit spending, and voted FOR socialized medicine. I'll guess that Hagan has NOT voted against any government spending since arriving in Washington. I'll guess that Hagan has NOT voted to reduce deficit spending, has NOT voted FOR any proposal to keep the credit line in check, has never voted AGAINST raising the debt ceiling. Exactly what in Hagan's voting record shows that she is willing to improve anything in Washington? Exactly what in Hagan's voting record shows that she is willing to REDUCE the amount of government control of people's daily lives? Exactly what has Hagan voted on that has the effect of making North Carolinians MORE independent, more able to support themselves, able to keep MORE of our own money in our own pockets?
I believe that reviewing Hagan's voting record will show that she is just another go-along-get-along, big spending, bigger government, more central-control, more central-planning Democrat just like Reid, Pelosi, Obama. Virtually nothing in Hagan's voting record will show that she works for the independence of citizens; very little to show that she believes the Constitution is the law of the land and should be upheld.
Anybody can say anything about being opposed to a government shutdown, but it's the record that counts. I'm opposed to a government shutdown also. But if the choice is MORE control from Washington, MORE deficit spending, higher national debt, and implementation of socialized medicine, I'd rather have a government shutdown. I'd rather my representatives in Washington voted FOR me, voted FOR freedom, voted FOR a lighter tax burden on my grandkids & kids not even yet born, voted FOR support of the Constitution, voted FOR a more open/honest federal government that lived within the bounds defined for it. Hagan is NOT this person. David Price is also NOT this person, though I am fortunate enough to have been redistricted out of his district.
I also believe that if you were to check on Hagan's statements over the years, when Obamacare/socialized medicine was still being discussed in Washington, Hagan was at least one Democrat who was willing to redefine the bill. She was opposed to the name ACA and wanted the bill to be changed to something that included the words SINGLE PAYER. This was her admission that Obamacare really IS socialized medicine and should be referred to as such. She was honest on this one point. But this only proves that her record shows she is as liberal as Reid, Pelosi, Obama, Lenin, on the verge of being a socialist, if not full admission of being one. Her admission that central planners know best, central control is the best system, politicians know best and SHOULD be in control of everyday life for every citizen/comrade.
October 17, 2013 at 11:15 am
TP Wohlford says:
Indeed, as I recall, the 96 election (post shutdown) had the GOP pick up a couple of Senate seats.
Kay appears to be safe, akin to Deb Stabenow in Michigan. In fact, the parallels are striking to me.
Both are loyal Dem soldiers and therefore will enjoy the benefits of the Dem political machine. Neither are Senate leaders, nor will they ever be leaders, but both do decent constituent services, which is important. Neither is especially popular back home, but in both cases, the GOP don't have a viable strong alternative willing to spend $25 million or so to win the seat.
Should this scenario play out nation-wide, we could see more status quo.
