Representative Pramila Jayapal is promoting new polling to fellow House Democrats as she seeks to revive support for Medicare for All, arguing the data shows majority backing among likely voters, including in key battleground districts. She hopes to make health care a central issue in the next midterm campaign amid concerns about rising costs.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a leading proponent of single-payer health care and former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is pushing for a renewed focus on Medicare for All, according to a Politico report.
Jayapal has commissioned polling that she plans to present to her House Democratic colleagues, arguing that Medicare for All retains electoral appeal even in the competitive districts Democrats would need to win back the majority. The research was funded by her leadership PAC and conducted by Democratic firm GQR Research. The survey questioned 1,000 likely voters over several days in November, with an oversample of voters in battleground House seats, Politico reported.
In the poll, Medicare for All was described as a system that would rely on existing doctors and hospitals but replace most private insurance with a government-run plan similar to Medicare or Medicaid. The description noted that taxes would increase for many people but said those costs could be offset by the elimination of premiums, co-pays and most out-of-pocket expenses, according to Politico’s account of the survey language.
Politico reported that the survey found majority support for Medicare for All among likely voters nationwide and slightly higher support in battleground districts. Support was strongest among Democrats, with backing also from many independents and a minority of Republicans. The poll also suggested that most respondents believed the federal government is not doing enough to help people afford health care.
Jayapal told Politico that swing voters’ views have shifted as escalating medical costs leave many feeling that they cannot afford or easily access care. She argued that prior skepticism about Medicare for All has faded. “Whatever tropes they may have had about Medicare for All, those don’t really exist today in the public’s mind,” she said in an interview, adding that she wants Democrats to offer a “united and universal, comprehensive vision for health care.”
David Walker, a pollster with GQR, acknowledged in the Politico story that there could be internal party resistance to Medicare for All but said the numbers should inform that debate. “There’s going to be some internal resistance [to Medicare for All] but it needs to be informed by polling, and in our survey, a majority of voters are in favor of it,” he said, adding that the survey did not portray the proposal as cost-free.
Jayapal’s polling push comes as Democrats seek to sharpen their health care message, including by criticizing Republican resistance to extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies. Politico reported that she also intends to share the findings with at least some Republicans, and that she sees value in framing the proposal as an “improved Medicare for All” to distinguish it from frustrations with the current Medicare program.
Her effort revisits a policy that divided Democrats during the 2020 presidential primary but continues to enjoy strong support among the party’s base. By working with a polling firm that also does work for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Jayapal is aiming to bolster the perceived credibility and strategic value of the findings inside the House Democratic caucus.
