DCCC & DSCC Release Joint Polling Memo Showing GOP Plan To Slash Medicaid Will Be An Electoral Albatross for Republicans in 2026

New message testing conducted by the DCCC and the DSCC shows Republicans’ massive cuts to essential benefits are toxic with voters

This research project, the first undertaken jointly by the DCCC and DSCC in multiple election cycles, reaffirms the concerted, coordinated work between the campaign arms of House and Senate Democrats in their efforts to highlight the harmful, real world consequences of the bill to the voters in battleground districts and states. This bill will cost Republicans their majorities in 2026.

The data from this joint research is clear: voters who have heard about the GOP tax scam believe it will hurt them and view it as Republicans cutting health care and food assistance in order to give billionaires more tax breaks, rather than focusing on lowering the cost of living – which Republicans promised to do. It is a message Democrats have been utilizing since Day One and this new data reaffirms that Democrats’ communications will continue to be effective.  

DCCC Communications Director Courtney Rice and DSCC Communications Director Maeve Coyle released the following statement:
“The more voters learn about the Republican plan to slash health care and food assistance to pay for a massive tax giveaway to billionaires, the more strongly they oppose it. Midterm backlash is continuing to grow against the GOP as they push forward with their toxic agenda – and Democratic candidates are positioned to build on that energy to flip seats and retake the House and Senate in 2026.”

• Voters do not support Republicans’ continued prioritization of the wealthy over working families and seniors.
  • Just 25% of voters think the tax bill will help them and their families – a clear sign that Republicans are already vulnerable.
• Republicans’ massive cuts to benefits are toxic with voters.
  • Trump’s plan to gut Medicaid would devastate hospitals that rely on Medicaid funding to stay open. If he gets his way, lifesaving care could disappear across America. Democrats are fighting to protect rural and low-income communities, keep hospitals running, and ensure that no one has to drive hours to see a doctor or get emergency care.
• Voters are persuaded by hearing how Republicans are prioritizing policies that will kick Americans off their health care and cut food assistance programs, rather than trying to lower costs.
  • Republicans’ new tax bill shows they are not focused at all on getting things in this country back on track. The economy is struggling, and costs are out of control. Instead, Republicans are raising costs on Americans by cutting hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid, kicking 13.7 million people off of their health care, and cutting food assistance programs like free school lunch.

Read the polling memo here.

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