However, using a government shutdown to negotiate spending cuts is more divisive.
Most Americans (57%) prefer a budget bill that reduces federal spending, even if it is the result of negotiations that include a temporary shutdown of non-critical parts of the government, over a bill that continues to increase spending.
WHY IT MATTERS – While there is strong support for federal spending cuts, a potential government shutdown to negotiate them is divisive.
- To maintain majority support, voters must be given a stark choice between spending cuts and continued spending increases.
HOW TO USE THIS DATA – The report shows how candidates and activists can navigate discussions of a potential government shutdown by focusing voters on the popular goal of spending cuts rather than the process used to achieve them.
Click on the image below to read the full report, including charts with demographic breakdowns…or read the summary below.
Nearly 7-in-10 Americans (69%) support Congress reducing federal spending, but the intensity of support varies.
- This includes majorities of Republicans (86%), Independents (68%), and Democrats (53%).
- There are significant partisan differences in the intensity of support, with more “strong support” of spending cuts among Republicans (56%-30%), but more “somewhat support” of spending cuts among Independents (30%-38%) and Democrats (15%-38%).
- This difference in intensity also shows up among key target groups in America’s New Majority, with more “strong support” of spending cuts among those definitely voting Republican on the generic ballot (66%-36%), but more “somewhat support” of spending cuts among those leaning or probably voting GOP (37%-46%), undecided (23%-33%), and leaning or probably voting Democrat (18%-51%).
Americans are more narrowly divided on whether Congress should allow a temporary shutdown of non-critical parts of the government as a negotiating tactic to achieve spending cuts.
- OF NOTE – Question included messaging explaining that the shutdown would only affect non-critical parts of the government.
- A plurality of Americans (49%) support Congress allowing non-critical parts of the government to shut down to pressure the President to sign a bill that reduces federal spending.
- This includes a majority of Republicans (71%) and plurality of Independents (43%).
- Voters within America’s New Majority are divided.
- Among those definitely voting GOP, there is more strong support than somewhat support (45%-30%), but those leaning or probably voting GOP have more “somewhat support” (20%-43%).
- Other voter segments in America’s New Majority are opposed to Congress allowing a temporary government shutdown – Undecided (33%-36%) and leaning or probably voting Democrat (36%-51%).
Voters must be given a stark choice to maintain support – spending cuts with a temporary shutdown or continued spending increases with no shutdown.
- Given a choice, most Americans (57%) prefer a budget that reduces federal spending even if it is the result of negotiations that include a temporary shutdown over a budget that continues to increase spending and is the result of negotiations that do not include a temporary government shutdown.
- This includes a majority of Republicans (77%) and Independents (57%) and a plurality of Democrats (39%).
- 67% of voters in America’s New Majority prefer a budget with spending cuts coming from negotiations that include a temporary shutdown – with a one-in-four voters in key target groups answering “don’t know.”
Ballot test on cutting spending and willingness to allow a temporary government shutdown shows GOP candidate gaining votes.
- By 51%-34%, voters prefer a GOP candidate who wants a budget bill that cuts spending and is willing to allow non-critical parts of the government to shut down to pressure the President to sign it over a Democratic candidate who wants a budget bill that continues to raise spending and opposes allowing non-critical parts of the government to shut down.
- Compared to the generic ballot, this is a 4-point gain for the GOP candidate and 7-point drop for the Democratic one.
- The largest gain in GOP vote comes from Independents (+13%) and Asians (+12%).
- Among voters in America’s New Majority, the GOP candidate for spending cuts willing to allow the government to shut down is preferred by 66% to 17%.
- Compared to the generic ballot, this is a 3-point gain for the GOP candidate and 4-point drop for the Democrat.
- This equals an overall 2-point gain for the GOP candidate and a 3-point drop for the Democrat.