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New Poll: Majority of American Voters Want Republicans in Congress to Stop Playing Partisan Games and Focus on Real Issues

Mar 16, 2023

 PRESS RELEASE         Contact: press@congressionalintegrity.org
For Immediate Release
Date: March 16, 2023 

Washington, D.C. – The American people want Congress to focus on the real issues impacting their lives rather than partisan investigations into President Biden and his family, according to a new poll commissioned by the Congressional Integrity Project and conducted by Public Policy Polling. The poll found that Americans have an unfavorable view of Republicans in Congress, and that they have serious concerns about election deniers and insurrectionist supporters conducting these investigations.

“Time and time again, the American people have made clear that they think the MAGA House Republicans’ political stunts are not what they wanted Congress to focus on,’ said Congressional Integrity Project senior advisor Leslie Dach. “They want their elected officials to work on issues like health care and the economy  – not partisan attacks on President Biden and his family. Instead Republicans are listening to white nationalists, election deniers and conspiracy theorists. It’s no wonder even members of their own party say these hearings are an embarrassment and a failure.”

Topline findings include:

  • Americans overwhelmingly say they would rather Congress focus on issues that matter to their lives, like rising costs and healthcare, than spend time investigating the Biden administration or President Biden’s family. A resounding 86% of voters agree with the statement that they want their elected leaders to stop playing partisan games and work together to solve their problems, with 74% strongly agreeing. 63% of voters (and 63% of independents) say they would rather Congress focus on issues like rising costs and healthcare than investigating the Biden administration. A similar 61% of voters (and 60% of independents) want Congress to focus on issues like rising costs and healthcare versus those who want Congress to spend time investigating President Biden’s family and Hunter Biden’s laptop. 
  • A majority of Americans have an unfavorable view of Republicans in Congress. Republicans in Congress are unpopular, with a net favorability of -16 points (35% favorable, 51% unfavorable). House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is also unpopular, with a net favorability rating of -18 points (30-48) among voters. Reps. James Comer, Jim Jordan, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, three Republicans who either chair or are members of the House Oversight Committee, are all underwater in favorability as well. Oversight Chairman Comer is underwater by 11 points (13-24) overall and 15 points (10-25) with independents. Jordan is underwater by 9 points (27-36) overall and 20 points (23-43) with independents, and Taylor Greene has a net negative favorability rating of 30 points (20-50) with all voters and 38 points (18-56) with independents. 
  • Voters are concerned that the politicians running these investigations are the same politicians who tried to overturn the 2020 election, and who have condoned the January 6th attack on the Capitol. A majority (51%) of voters are very concerned by this, including 47% of independent voters.

View Poll Toplines HERE and Memo HERE.

Public Policy Polling surveyed 622 national voters from March 13-14, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 3.9%. 50% of interviews for the survey were conducted by telephone and 50% by text message.

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