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Oct 31, 2009 11:35 am US/Eastern
Plurality Of Fla. Voters Oppose Public Option
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Sophiya Chacko, a registered nurse with the University of Miami hospital, checks on Grace Alduino as she is prepared for a heart procedure while President Barack Obama is seen on a television screen addressing a joint session of Congress on Sept. 9, 2009.
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Voters can be a fickle bunch, often making it nearly impossible for a politician to build a coalition or consensus. A new poll of Florida voters from CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald is showing just how hard it is becoming to get a true read on the political views on issues by Floridians. The poll results have both Democrats and Republicans scratching their heads, trying to figure out the right path.
One issue dominated everything else in the new Herald poll, the economy. 44 percent of Florida voters said their personal financial situation worsened in the past year versus 48 who said their situation had remained stable, according to the poll.
Healthcare was one area of large contention. 47 percent of voters said they opposed a health insurance "public option" proposed by congressional Democrats. 40 percent of voters said they are in favor of a public option. The numbers contrast with national numbers saying around 60 percent of Americans want a public option.
Democrats supported the public option by a 62-24 margin, while Republicans opposed it 74 to 16 percent. Independent voters were opposed the public option 46 to 38 percent, showing Republicans have successfully framed the healthcare debate in their favor.
White voters opposed the public option the most, while African-Americans and Hispanics favored the public option by double-digit margins. Voters under the age of 35 and people who had children in the home also favored the public option, according to the Herald poll.
At the same time, on the issue of striking a gambling deal with the Seminole nation, even Conservative residents in the Florida panhandle now want the Legislature to approve the gaming deal. Only 33 percent of Panhandle voters opposed the approval of a gaming deal. The reason, Florida voters want money from the deal to help out the state.
(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
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