6-in-10 also say Congress should vote separately on different security funding requests, rather than an all-in-one bill.
By a nearly 2:1 margin, Americans say security priorities included in President Joe Biden’s $105 billion funding request to Congress should be voted on separately in different bills, rather than in one bill addressing all the issues together.
SUPPORT FOR OFFSETS – Furthermore, on two of the funding priorities – aid to Israel and Ukraine – most Americans say they should be paid for by cutting spending elsewhere rather than borrowing the money and adding to national debt.
- Nearly half say they would prefer the bills not pass at all than pass without offsets.
WHY IT MATTERS – The support for separate bills and a pay-as-you-go approach validates Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to pass a separate Israel funding bill with offsets.
HOW TO USE THIS DATA – The results show candidates and activists that insisting on fiscal responsibility while being responsive to security needs can be a magnet issue to attract New Majority voters.
Click on the image below to read the full report…or read the summary below.
60% say Congress should vote separately on Biden’s security funding requests, rather than in one bill.
- This includes 72% of Republicans, 48% of Democrats, 61% of independents, and 63% of swing voters.
- Black voters (46%-45%) are evenly divided on the question, while 6-in-10 or more Asians (64%), Hispanics (60%), and Whites (63%) prefer separate bills.
- 66% of America’s New Majority voters prefer separate spending bills, including majorities of those undecided (57%) and those planning to vote Democrat (56%) for Congress in 2024. This makes insisting on separate spending bills a magnet issue.
- 52% of Left Minority voters prefer one spending bill.
Israel aid – Americans divided by age, race, and gender.
- 49% of Americans support Congress authorizing $14.3 billion in aid to Isarael to assist in their war against Hamas. 42% oppose.
- 52% of Republicans and Democrats support the bill but pluralities of independents (46%) and swing voters (47%) oppose.
- A majority of men (56%) support the Israel aid bill while a plurality of women (44%) oppose.
- A majority of white voters (53%) support the Israel aid bill, but Asians are evenly divided (46%-46%) while majorities of Black (50%) and Hispanic voters (54%) oppose.
- The most significant divide is by age. Baby Boomer+ voters support the bill 64%-29%, but pluralities of other age groups oppose it, particularly Gen Z (32%-58%).
- New Majority voters are narrowly divided (47%-46%) on a bill to support Israel while Left Minority voters support it (58%-33%) – a difference likely driven by concerns over additional spending more than sympathy for Israel.
Ukraine aid – Americans divided by party and ideology.
- 43% of Americans support Congress authorizing an additional $61.4 billion to assist Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion. 49% oppose.
- Democrats support the bill (61%-32%) while Republicans oppose it (31%-65%). Independents (38%-51%) and swing voters (42%-51%) also oppose the bill.
- America’s New Majority voters oppose the bill (35%-49%) while Left Minority voters support it (71%-22%).
Most say that if Israel and Ukraine aid bills are passed, they should be paid for by cutting spending elsewhere, rather than by borrowing money.
- Similar percentages (56% and 55%) of Americans say if the Israel or Ukraine bills are authorized, they should be paid for with spending cuts rather than with deficit spending.
- This includes majorities of Republicans, independents and swing voters and pluralities of Democrats.
- America’s New Majority voters prefer the Israel aid bill be paid for with spending cuts rather than deficit spending by a margin of 63%-13%. This includes 47% of those undecided and 60% of those planning to vote for a Democrat for Congress in 2024. This makes insisting on offsets a magnet issue.
- Left Minority voters are more divided, preferring cutting spending by 36%-31%.
More say they would prefer Israel and Ukraine bills not pass at all rather than be paid for by borrowing more money.
- Similar percentages (49% and 50%) say they would prefer that the aid bills for Israel and Ukraine not pass at all rather than be paid for with deficit spending.
- 55% of America’s New Majority voters prefer that no aid bill for Israel pass at all rather than be paid for by borrowing money and adding to the deficit. This includes a majority of those undecided (50%) and planning to vote Democrat (51%) for Congress in 2024.
- A plurality of Left Minority voters says the opposite – with 48% preferring the bill pass using deficit spending to not pass at all.
- 59% of America’s New Majority voters prefer that no bills for Ukraine pass at all if Congress and the president cannot agree on spending cuts to pay for it. This includes pluralities of those undecided (48%) and those planning to vote Democrat (48%) for Congress in 2024.
- A majority of Left Minority voters say the opposite – with 57% preferring the bills pass with deficit spending to not pass at all.
Swing of 13 points in favor of Republican candidate who insists on spending cuts to pay for additional aid to foreign countries.
- By 50%-34%, voters say they would be more likely to support a Republican candidate who insists on spending cuts to pay for additional aid to foreign countries over a Democrat who says additional aid should be paid for by borrowing more money and adding to the national debt.
- This is a Republican gain of 5 points and Democratic loss of 7 points from the generic ballot.
- 64% of New Majority voters prefer the Republican candidate, a gain of 5 points from the generic ballot.