Smart commentators like Mark Blumenthal of Pollster.com have noticed support for the Democratic health care plan increasing in recent days and our newest national poll, which we'll release tomorrow, finds the same.
45% of voters support the bill while 49% are opposed. This is the first time since October that we've found support over 40%, and it's the first time since September that it's hit 45%.
Ever since we started polling on health care in August there's been a large disconnect among 2008 Obama voters between their approval of the President and their support for him on health care. On seven polls between August and February his approval with his supporters was anywhere from 10-21 points higher than their level of favor for the Democratic health care bill.
This month, for the first time, that gap has been pretty much erased. 83% of 2008 Obama voters approve of the job he's doing and 81% of them support the health care bill. It's clear that as Obama has become more forceful in selling the bill over the last month his core supporters have gotten behind it to a much greater extent than they were before. Perhaps declarations that Obama didn't have much sway over his supporters after the Democratic losses in New Jersey and Virginia were a little premature.
Bear in mind, though, that this is a different matter - a particular piece of legislation, versus a candidate for office. Have there been any numbers lately showing Obama as able to boost numbers for stumped-for Dems?
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