Healthcare advocacy nonprofit Healthier Colorado released a new poll yesterday conducted by Keating Research, principally focused on concerns voters have related to the group’s eponymous mission:
A majority of Coloradans are concerned about the rising costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, and prefer a public option to enroll in Medicare or Medicare for All over the current system, according to a statewide survey by Healthier Colorado, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of all residents throughout our state’s diverse communities.
The poll was conducted November 6-9, 2019, among a sample of 650 active voters, with an oversample in West Slope counties. Roughly half of voters surveyed (45%) said the cost of healthcare is unaffordable, while an overwhelming majority (82%) believe the cost of prescription drugs and medication is too high. When presented with the option to keep the current system in which health insurance is purchased through one’s employer or privately, or move to a public option or Medicare for All, only one-third of voters prefer to keep the current system. The other two-thirds were evenly split between wanting a public option and Medicare for All.
Useful information for the upcoming debate in the Colorado legislature beginning next month on a proposed public option coverage plan. But at the bottom of the release announcing this poll, right before the link to the full results at Keating, our readers will find the question we’re most interested in today, with all due respect to Healthier Colorado:
Overall, a majority of Coloradans (52%) believe Colorado is headed in the right direction. When asked about elected officials running for election in 2020, only 37% have a favorable view of President Donald Trump, while 60% view him unfavorably. Senator Cory Gardner, currently running for his second term fares less favorably, with 33% favorable, 45% unfavorable. [Pols emphasis]
If this poll is accurate, Sen. Cory Gardner is not just America’s Most Vulnerable Senator™. Gardner is in a downward spiral that there may well be no coming back from. This is the second poll this fall showing Gardner’s approval rating below 35%, several percentage points short of President Donald Trump’s own dismal 37% approval in Colorado and 12 points south of Gardner’s 45% unfavorable rating, clearly reflecting Gardner’s weakness among base Republicans–in addition to the state’s compounding wholesale rejection of Republican candidates that accelerated in last year’s historic Colorado Democratic landslide.
It’s hard to imagine Gardner losing the general election next November by the margin a 33% approval rating suggests, not least because many of those disaffected Republican voters are sure to hold their noses and vote–but to call these numbers bad news for Gardner’s re-election prospects is a considerable understatement.
While we can’t pronounce Cory Gardner a political dead man walking on the strength of one poll, these numbers are undeniably what that looks like.
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STAY THE COURSE, SENATOR! THOSE 33% WILL THANK YOU!
It's sad when Gardner is hoping for a lift from the top of ticket since Trump is polling at a whopping 37%.
If Republicans have a brain they'll get Cory to drop out. Trouble is there's nobody on the bench to replace him.
I do not understand Colorado Rs, but that's how the incumbent got selected: everyone else dropped out, thew party closed ranks- and he threw up some pictures of windmills and farm animals – see he's not that extreme – and he was in.
Gardner's poll numbers may be at the bottom of a well, but Dems are still going to have to settle on a challenger who can pick him off. Right now, it seems everybody and their idiot brother wants to try.
Yeah, but only two are serious candidates. Hickenlooper should beat him handily. And if Andew Romanoff wins the nomination we can and will close ranks to elect him. Listen to Duke Carlos on this one — we can't afford to lose the Senate and doom the federal courts to a generation of fascist rule!
It's too late to save the federal courts.
Judges can be impeached, too. If we can elect a Congress determined to help the Federal Courts regain their impartiality, we may be able to cut some of the knuckleheads out of the herd. It will take a very large majority to get there.
But but but, Gardner's an excellent Senator. Our great sage, Nutlid told us so.
Well, he beats Moscow Mitch or Liz Cheney.
Low bar to clear.
Deleted
Price you pay when you spend your first term sucking up to DC rather than building a base at home. No one even knows who he is.
He’s that weasely guy, right? . . .
Good news, though. With disapproval ratings that high, it seems unlikely that Cory's donors' contributions are going to be very helpful (although it does look like his retirement fund is something he can brag about).
In a similar way that Moddy's posts here are a powerful recruiting tool for Democrats, Republican donations to Cory's campaign are dollars helping to elect Democrats elsewhere 🙂
Health Insurance Numbers: 1/3, 1/3, 1/3.
The Dev Presidential candidates should declare a win and go home. To whit:
All candidates present a unified platform of an expanded Obamacare / Robust Public option. Businesses are quickly dropping their employer plans or else raising costs and lowering benefits.
With the Public Option it is only a matter of time before the employer system collapses.
"with an oversample in West Slope counties" and Smiling Cory® is at 33% favorable.
This is not good for the guy who wants to gut your Medicare.
I am not a fan of the term "West Slope". It should be "western slope".
Caps or not…no difference.
Yep, I think "West Slope" is a hill of fancy homes in a wealthy city somewhere . . .
I agree with you, Duke, but some of our up and coming local boosters like to push “west slope, best slope" as their “branding'' slogan.
Yeah, but our own marketing geniuses will parry with:
Front Range
Quite Strange.
Okay, that needs a bit more work.
East Slope
Best Dope
might do.
I don’t see any way out for Gardner but to not run for re-election. That said, our immediate concern is with the upcoming Senate trial. It takes only 51 votes to approve procedural rules for the trial. The only possibility to obtain 67 votes to convict is to compel Senate testimony from Bolton, Mulvaney, et al. Dramatic testimony might sway public opinion to convict up to 60% or so which might be enough to garner 67 votes. Is there any chance that Gardner might vote to compel this testimony in the Senate trial? (Put your creative hats on.)
I've seen other polling where support for Medicare for All drops precipitously when the pollsters talk about how much taxes will be raised to pay for it.
Do they also mention the subsequent adjustment to premiums? I still have to cough up about $250 per month for my Medicare…but I HAVE Coverage…unlike the hundreds/ mo. I paid United Healthcare. My deductible per year now is $185. With United it was $2,500.
One issue that really needs a solution is the Part D drug plan. I don't take prescription drugs because I am apparently very healthy. Yet I must pay a monthly premium AND a penalty for not signing up earlier.
It is, as far as I can tell, welfare for Big Pharma.