Peter Schorsch
A new poll from the firm of Tony Fabrizio, President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign pollster, revealed that an outright majority of Trump voters and two-thirds of swing voters oppose cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts.
This poll release comes as Congress keeps advancing through the budget reconciliation process. House Republicans’ original reconciliation instructions call for a staggering $880 billion in cuts from the committee with jurisdiction over Medicaid. This massive sum would be virtually impossible to achieve without sharp cuts to the Medicaid program, which covers 72 million low-income and working-class Americans and 3.9 million Florida residents.
In Florida alone, 30% of the population is low-income. Fully 18% of the population is covered by Medicaid/CHIP. Another 20% of the state’s population are seniors, many of whom require long-term care. Four in seven nursing home patients in Florida rely on Medicaid to cover care costs. These populations — and the health facilities they depend on — would certainly feel the impact of any changes to the Medicaid program.
In the 2024 election, 56% of Florida voters cast their ballot for Trump. Trump himself has repeatedly promised not to touch Medicaid or other programs like Medicare and Social Security. As recently as March, he said, “I’m not going to touch Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.” This came on the heels of similar statements he made throughout February. House Republicans’ demand for sweeping cuts seems to be directly at odds with the President’s explicit pledge.
Influential House members in Florida have also expressed their opposition to cutting the Medicaid program, citing concerns about the impact on their constituents. In early April, Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Chair of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, said at an event in Washington, “I’m not for cuts in Medicaid. … There are a lot of inefficiencies. We’ve got to find a way to be able to … do things better for less.” He stated he hopes to protect Medicaid for the most vulnerable populations.
Major Medicaid cuts would be politically perilous considering the program’s enormous scope and impact as the nation’s single largest source of health care coverage. Of the voters surveyed in the recent poll, almost half had a personal or familial connection to Medicaid.
In February, Steve Bannon noted the widespread impact of Medicaid within the realigning, blue-collar base of the Trump Republican Party. Bannon said, “Medicaid you’ve got to be careful with — because a lot of MAGA is on Medicaid. If you don’t think so, you are dead wrong. Medicaid is going to be a complicated one. You just can’t take a meat ax to it.”
As House Republicans continue to explore ways to finance their package of tax cuts, defense spending and border security, these new survey results may serve as a warning to show the political ramifications of using Medicaid cuts as a pay-for.
11 comments
Victoria Olson
April 14, 2025 at 11:12 am
Gov. DeSatan refused to do Medicaid expansion in Florida.
Florida’s Medicaid Disaster: 1.3 Million Cut From Coverage, One of the Highest Disenrollment Rates in the U.S. Between March 2023 and October 2024, Florida saw a sharp drop in Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment, going from 5.1 million to 3.8 million participants. Feb 13, 2025. Florida ranks fourth in the U.S. for its percentage of people under 65 without health insurance: 13.9%, according to new Census Bureau data.
Peachy
April 14, 2025 at 11:40 am
I’m betting you are only telling one side of this story. It’s a Federal program that is full of fraud, waste, and abuse. Where are all these illegal millions that Slo Joe let in getting medical coverage?
A Day Without MAGA Losing Their Mind And Money
April 14, 2025 at 12:26 pm
You voted for a Medicare fraudster ,Rick Scott,now the people of Florida are reaping what they sowed Google Rick.Scott Medicare Fraud
JD
April 14, 2025 at 2:19 pm
I don’t know why Peter allows you on this site, propagandist Peach.
So show us the “millions Slo Joe let in” getting free medical coverage. Got any f@cking proof, Helmet? Or are you just parroting AM radio brain worms again?
Let me guess. You “heard it somewhere.” Meanwhile, the actual data says undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal programs like Medicare or Medicaid. Even emergency care under EMTALA doesn’t mean free coverage, it just means hospitals can’t dump people dying at their doorstep.
You want to talk “fraud, waste, and abuse”? Cool. Let’s look at:
Defense contractors overcharging billions
Tax loopholes for billionaires
Trump-era COVID relief fraud — $200 billion stolen, per the GAO
But sure, let’s blame brown people without insurance again. Lair.
Peachy
April 14, 2025 at 5:23 pm
Hey soy boy I’ve seen it with my own two eyes migrants going to hospitals for basic medical care. Now you being the PB you are probably get all of your information from The View while you are getting your nails done with all of the other ladies.
JD
April 14, 2025 at 6:22 pm
Oh look, an ad hominem. Attacking me instead of the argument, classic deflection, Helmet. Still doesn’t change the fact that hospitals don’t get paid by the government just because someone walks in. Most are non-profits or sovereign entities. You got anything beyond “I saw it with my own eyes”?
Try again. Your Fox News is showing.
And The View? Is that the one with the women? I don’t watch TV, I read. You should try it. Might help with the propaganda problem.
Skeptic
April 14, 2025 at 12:46 pm
The Panicans will follow their Dear Leader in whatever “policy” he farts out over the next few weeks. The Panican-in-Chief can’t even obtain the release of a wrongfully detained person in a puppet state; not sure he can lead the other Panicans away from the destruction of Medicaid that has long been sought by his owners; if he determines he can’t, he will tell us all that the destruction of Medicaid was the plan all along.
Peachy
April 14, 2025 at 12:58 pm
Panican was a term created for your party with all the panic last week in regards to the stock market. Now that person in El Salvador you are referring to, isn’t he actually a citizen of El Salvador?
JD
April 14, 2025 at 2:22 pm
Wouldn’t that be “Panicrat” Helmet? You’re slipping there going after Skeptic.
Michael K
April 14, 2025 at 1:49 pm
We tried to warn y’all. Tax cuts to billionaires is the top MAGA hat priority. Poor rubes would rather be distracted by beating up on trans and gay people, or a showerhead, or anything distraction other than Trump’s single-handed global economic chaos and disaster that is sinking your 401 (k) retirement savings – if you are lucky enough to have one. Prices keep going up, and now millions will likely lose insurance. Can’t say you weren;t warned!
Oh well. Gotta take of billionaires first. MAGA advice: don’t get sick, but if you, die fast.
Peachy
April 14, 2025 at 2:53 pm
More gloom and doom from Chicken Little. Still driving that Tesla?