Medicare for all, marijuana legalization have strong support
Delaware residents support a progressive agenda as well as the state’s all-Democratic Congressional delegation, according to a new poll from the University of Delaware Center for Political Communication.
Legalizing marijuana continues to enjoy clear majority support, with 61 percent in favor of such a measure and 33 percent against – results similar to those found in a 2016 poll.
Three in four Delawareans favor laws protecting transgender students from discrimination. And a clear majority of Delawareans favor Medicare-for-all, with 68 percent in favor of a national health plan, or Medicare-for-all, where any American could get their insurance from a single government plan if they so choose.
For most of those polled, an older candidate isn’t something that would influence their vote. And that result is reflected in their views of U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, who is 71 and has a 66 percent favorability rating heading into the final weeks of his reelection campaign.
U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who is seeking a second term, has a favorability rating of 55 percent. Both Carper, who is taking on Republican Rob Arlett, and Blunt Rochester, who is running against Republican Scott Walker, enjoy big leads.
U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, who won’t be on the ballot until 2020, has a 57 percent favorability rating, while Gov. John Carney enjoys a rating of 63 percent.
State Treasurer Ken Simpler, who is running for reelection, and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long both have net favorability ratings, but neither is well known to Delawareans: 43 percent of those polled couldn’t rate Hall-Long, and 53 percent had no opinion of Simpler, a Republican.
“The poll’s results show that most Delawareans are satisfied with their state’s Democratic leadership heading into the 2018 midterms,” Professor Paul Brewer said. “But the findings also suggest many residents would be open to bolder progressive steps on public policy.”
