NC voters opposed to early childhood cuts

North Carolina voters have a clear message for the Republican Legislative majorities they put into office earlier this month: don't touch early childhood education. 56% of voters in the state say they're opposed to cuts of early childhood funding, compared to only 25% who are supportive of it. And there could be a price to pay at the polls for those legislators who do target that area- 50% of voters in the state say they'd be less likely to vote for someone in the future who cut early childhood funding compared to only 29% who say that would make them more inclined to support someone.

There's a bipartisan consensus against cutting early childhood monies. Democrats (68/21) and independents (59/21) are both strongly opposed to cuts on that front and Republicans are as well, although by a more narrow margin (39/33).

The numbers with independents might be most reflective of the difficulties the GOP will face now that it's in control. Those voters overwhelmingly supported Republican legislative candidates this year and were the main reason the majorities flipped in the Senate and House. They respond very negatively to the specter of early childhood cuts, with 58% saying they'd be less likely to vote for a legislator who supported them in the future and only 17% saying they'd consider that a plus. If Republicans go there they're at pretty serious risk of quickly antagonizing the voters who put them in power in the first place.

This is just one of the tough choices that may make the GOP realize it was a lot easier to be in the minority.

Full results here