New Jersey Voters Strongly Support Sound Moderate Approach to Governing, Issues

Nearly 8 in 10 of Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s constituents agree with her on bipartisanship, health care

A recent survey in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District found that voters there overwhelmingly agree with Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s fiscally responsible and bipartisan approach to governing, and support her efforts to apply them to solving thorny issues like those surrounding the cost and coverage of their health care.

The Democrat is a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor who has represented the suburban district in northern New Jersey since 2019.

A member of the 2018 “blue wave” class of House electees, Sherrill was reelected in the traditionally Republican-leaning district in 2020 by a wide margin.

Embrace Bipartisanship

Approximately two thirds of voters (64%) believe that we need a bipartisan approach where lawmakers can work across the aisle to deliver results for the people who elected them versus 31% who believe it is more important to advance bold and progressive reforms to health care than working across the aisle.

Want Real Health Care Reform

Voters were also emphatic about their desire to see Congress focus on what matters most to them – reducing what they pay for health care. Sixty-nine percent say Congress should focus on reducing the overall costs of health care such as premiums, deductibles, and copays and 28% say that Congress should focus more on reducing the costs of prescription drugs.

Advance Pragmatic Policy Solutions

The survey found a large majority of voters want pragmatic policies that will lower the cost of health care. 

In fact, 85% agree that health legislation Congress pursues should make patient affordability the number one goal, whether it’s the cost of premiums and copays, price of medicines, or expense of care.

 There is widespread support for policies that address cost:

• 97% support ensuring more predictability in health care so that people know how much they will pay for things like prescription drugs every month;
• 96% support requiring health insurance companies and hospitals to pass along to patients more of the discounts they negotiate with pharmaceutical companies;
• 95% support ensuring that deductibles are lower and more affordable so that insurance kicks in earlier when you need to use it;
• 93% support reducing what patients spend for their prescription medicines at the pharmacy counter, while ensuring continued public-private collaboration to develop life saving drugs and treatments;
• 90% support requiring Medicare Part D insurance plans to set a maximum limit for what seniors pay out of pocket for prescription medicines annually.

Foster Innovation

Approximately nine-in-ten voters (89%) believe these companies played an important role in responding to the pandemic. Eighty-five percent agree that keeping a strong American pharmaceutical industry is a matter of national security to protect us against future pandemics. 

In addition:

• 91% of voters believe competition among drug manufacturers ensures continued R&D, makes drugs more affordable and increases access for patients who need them;
• 82% agree that the federal government shouldn’t be interfering with what medicines are available to people with Medicare and that there are better ways to lower what seniors pay for medicine;
• 81% think it’s important to preserve the invaluable innovation ecosystem so that it can continue to prevent and treat disease. 

Fiscal Responsibility

While voters identify immigration and border security, the coronavirus and the economy/jobs as the most important issues that need to be addressed, they want policymakers to take a fiscally responsible approach to doing so. 

Sixty percent believe that the federal government needs to spend responsibly to keep the national debt and inflation in check versus 38% who believe that the federal government should spend as much as it takes to help the post-pandemic economic recovery.

Voters in the district prioritize federal spending on investments to reform health care (36%), followed closely by rebuilding roads, bridges, and other traditional infrastructure (34%).

About The Poll

The poll was conducted by telephone (both landline and cell phones) between August 24-31 with a sample size of 400 likely 2022 voters in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District with a margin of error of +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level. The poll was conducted by Center Forward, a Washington-based group dedicated to finding common ground and pragmatic solutions to the challenges facing the American people, in partnership with Luce Research.

Disclosure: The Well News is partially owned by Cori Kramer, the executive director of Center Forward.