A Politico/Morning Consult poll released Wednesday found Americans are sharply divided over the Affordable Care Act.
According to the poll, 45 percent of respondents approve of the law, with 45 percent disapproving as well.
In an analysis of its findings, Politico noted the rate of approval has ticked up since January when their poll found 41 percent approval and 52 percent disapproval.
As the threat of changes in coverage becomes more imminent, it’s only natural for anxiety to build. This is likely exacerbated by congressional Republicans’ failure to clearly articulate their plans for the repeal and replacement process.
The poll found Americans prefer key provisions of the act be left in place by significant margins with the exception of the individual mandate — 57 percent of respondents want it repealed, while only 28 percent prefer it be left in place.
Furthermore, the 30 percent of Americans who strongly disapprove of the law is still larger than the 23 percent who strongly approve. With the Left mobilizing activists to storm town hall meetings across the country, these numbers indicate conservatives could potentially rally a more powerful show of support if necessary.
The poll surveyed just over 2,000 registered voters from Feb. 16-19 with a 2 percent margin of error.
The takeaway here: Despite the appearance of mounting opposition, the country is still divided over Obamacare. Republicans hope to have repeal and replace legislation on the table by March. If they’re able to effectively message their plan, there is room to make inroads with public opinion.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
