Rasmussen: Health Care Reform Support Dips; Support for Addressing the Deficit Grows

Is all the talk among conservatives and Republicans about the dangers of the mounting federal debt starting to get some traction? A Rasmussen poll suggests that it is:

Support for health care reform has slipped slightly as more voters think President Obama should work harder on his promise to cut the federal deficit in half in the next four years.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of U.S. voters say cutting the deficit is the most important of the four priorities the president cited in a speech to Congress in February, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. That's up from 32% in March.
At the same time, 24% rate health care reform as the most important of Obama's priorities, down from 29% in the earlier survey.

Not surprisingly, large partisan differences exist on Obama priorities, but independents lean more in the direction of the GOP when it comes to the deficit.

Nearly half of Republicans (46%) and a plurality of voters not affiliated with either major party (39%) say cutting the deficit in half over the next four years is the most important of Obama's priorities, but just 24% of Democrats agree.

If these trends continue, mounting debt and deficits could emerge as one of the most salient issues in next year's congressional elections.

Read to full Rasmussen study here.