Poll: Government Shutdown

TOPLINES | GRAPHS

This Navigator Research report covers awareness of and blame for the government shutdown and message guidance following SNAP’s lapse in funding.

BIG TAKEAWAYS:

• Awareness of the government shutdown has jumped 10 points since last week – blame for the shutdown remains squarely on President Trump and Republicans in Congress.
• Those who say the shutdown is having a negative personal impact on themselves overwhelmingly point to the loss of SNAP or food stamps, and blame it on Trump and Republicans.
• As open enrollment begins, Americans report rising health care costs – up 12 points since July.

Shutdown Awareness Hits High; Trump and Republican Draw Blame

86% of Americans have now heard about the current government shutdown, including 56% who have heard “a lot.” This is a nine-point overall increase from last week, where 77% had heard about the shutdown, and a 10-point increase in the share who are hearing “a lot” (from 46% to 56%). It’s a 46-point increase since September before the shutdown began.

Passive news consumers in particular say they are hearing significantly more about the shutdown since last week (from 64% to 75%), and the share hearing “a lot” about it has grown 11 points (from 29% to 41%).

By a 13-point margin, Americans blame President Trump and Republicans in Congress more for the government shutdown than Democrats in Congress, remaining consistent through Navigator’s shutdown tracking.

When it comes to the overall news Americans are hearing specifically about Trump, 77% say they are hearing negative news. When citing what negative news they are hearing, “SNAP” and “food stamps” dominate the conversation. When asked in the specific context of what they see parties fighting for in the shutdown, health care is still dominant.

86% also say they have heard about SNAP running out of funding and millions potentially losing access to food assistance, including 66% who have heard “a lot” about it.

SNAP’s Lapse

The shutdown’s impact on food assistance programs is driving public concern — especially around SNAP. Following the funding lapse, more Americans see the government shutdown as negatively impacting them. Nearly two in three believe the government shutdown will negatively impact them personally (65%), an over 23-point increase from three weeks ago when just 42% said the shutdown would negatively impact them. When asked why the shutdown would have a negative impact on them personally, “food stamps” and “SNAP” emerge as the top reasons cited.

Over eight in ten Americans view “SNAP, formerly known as food stamps” favorably (81%), including majorities of Democrats (94%), independents (76%), and Republicans (68%).

A majority blame Trump and Republicans in Congress for SNAP’s funding lapsing (51% blame Trump and Republicans – 33% blame Democrats in Congress), including 53% of independents.

The Latest on Health Care

Amid the start of open enrollment for millions of Americans, over seven in ten believe the cost of health care is going up (72%), a 12-point increase since July. Across insurance types — whether through private insurance or a government program — more than seven in ten say the cost is going up.

By a 28-point margin, Americans blame Trump and Republicans in Congress more than Democrats in Congress for health care premiums going up (48% blame Trump and Republicans – 20% blame Democrats).

Americans see health care as what Democrats in Congress are fighting for in the government shutdown, though Americans with a negative impression of what Democrats are fighting for cite both “health care” and “illegal.”

Shutdown Impacts

Americans are overwhelmingly hearing and concerned about the impacts of the shutdown, specifically health care costs rising and Americans losing health care coverage (78% concerned) and SNAP or food stamps running out of funding (77% concerned).

Specific consequences related to the loss of food assistance and health care costs are overwhelmingly concerning, in particular:

• 42 million Americans losing food assistance, including 16 million children (81% concerning, 66% extremely concerning);
• Some families losing access to food assistance (79% concerning, 66% extremely concerning);
• Families on SNAP having to decide between paying for food and paying their rent, their electricity bills, or for their prescriptions (77% concerning, 64% extremely concerning); and,
• The cost of health insurance doubling for Americans (79% concerning, 63% extremely concerning).

The Latest Messaging

Two in three find Trump and Republicans’ actions in relation to the shutdown concerning, whether it is the loss of food assistance or health care for millions of Americans or their wasteful spending. President Trump and Republicans in Congress are:

• Threatening the food assistance of millions of Americans, including low-income families, pregnant women, and children.
  • They’re keeping the government shut down and have refused to help 42 million hungry Americans afford the food they need to survive (69% concerning);
• Spending money on everything except helping American families.
  • They’ve announced the spending of $40 billion on a bailout of Argentina and $300 million to build a White House ballroom, while cutting taxes for the rich and big corporations by $4.5 trillion.
  • At the same time, they are keeping the government shut down because they refuse to help with rising health care costs, and instead could strip nearly 5 million of their health insurance and double the cost of health insurance for 22 million Americans (67% concerning); and,
• Using a government shutdown to force through their budget, with massive cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
  • They are pushing to strip 5 million Americans of their health care and more than double health care costs for 22 million Americans by taking away the tax credits millions use to pay for health care (65% concerning).

With or without a deal to reopen the government, majorities say they will view Republicans more unfavorably. If the government is reopened without a deal to restore health care, 63% say they will view Trump and Republicans’ handling of the shutdown unfavorably.

A similar 67% say they will have an unfavorable view if the government remains closed and 42 million people lose SNAP. More Republicans say they will view Trump and Republicans unfavorably in this scenario rather than if the government reopens without a deal to protect health care.