The Polls Say Bartlett Should Change his SCHIP Vote

In MD’s 6^th Congressional District - The People Speak Out

“Congressman Bartlett, Override Bush’s Veto of SCHIP.”

A statement from Quincey Gamble, Executive Director of the Maryland Democratic Party

“The citizens of Maryland’s 6^th Congressional district are no different from the rest of Maryland or America. The vast majority see the need to help children who have no resources get the health care they need to live normal, healthy lives. They people are pleading with Congressman Bartlett to join so many leaders in his own Party and override George Bush’s veto of the SCHIP legislation.

Congressman Bartlett, please don’t turn your back on your own constituents. Please don’t turn your back on Maryland’s children in need. Reject the misleading excuses of the Bush Administration and join the mainstream of Republicans and Democrats who support expanding health care for our children.”

Maryland 6^th CD Voters overwhelmingly support SCHIP legislation

Voters of all types in Maryland’s 6^th Congressional district support the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) legislation Congress passed recently and vetoed by President Bush. Nearly six in ten (59%) voters support the legislation, and about four in ten (39%) strongly support SCHIP. 

Support for SCHIP crosses all party lines and income levels in this strong GOP district.  Three in four (77%) Democrats, three in five (59%) Independents, and nearly half (47%) of Republicans support SCHIP legislation.  Support is strong across all income levels also: voters who earn less than $35,000 in income (59%), those with $35,000-75,000 (61%), and those with greater than $75,000 in income (59%) all favor SCHIP.   

A majority want Bartlett to override the Bush veto – 6^th is strongest GOP district in the Northeast

Half (50%) of all voters in the 6^th Congressional district want their long time  Republican Congressmen, Roscoe Bartlett, to vote to override Bush’s veto, with 35% who disagree.  Support for overriding the veto not unsurprisingly includes most Democrats (70%); however a majority of Independents (51%) also want Bartlett to break with the President on the issue of supporting more spending on  children’s health care.   Only GOP voters are split: 35% of Republicans want Bartlett to override the President’s veto and 47% want it sustained.  GOP voters are the largest voting bloc by party in this Congressional district – fully 65% of voters in the 6^th voted for President Bush in 2004, more than any other district in the northeast.  

Methodology

Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates conducted telephone interviews with 404 likely voters in Maryland’s 6^th Congressional district on October 9 and 10. The margin of error for this poll is +/- 4.9% and larger for subgroups. 

1 - Congress has recently expanded the Children's Health Insurance Program known as CHIP, to millions of children and paid for it with a 61 cent increase in the federal cigarette tax.  Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose this legislation?

Source:  Maryland Citizen’s Health Initiative, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates