A new poll shows Florida voters are divided on Medicaid expansion. The Legislature was divided on the issue in recent weeks with the House opposing it and the Senate supporting it. The House effectively ensured Medicaid expansion would not be part of the state budget at the end of last week.
St. Leo University released a poll on Thursday which shows 68 percent of those surveyed back Medicaid expansion while 28 percent oppose it. There is a partisan divide, with 85 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of voters outside the major parties supporting it. Republicans are far more divided, with 49 percent opposing Medicaid expansion and 48 percent supporting it.
But when asked if they support Gov. Rick Scott’s efforts to sue the federal government to stop Medicaid expansion, 48 percent of those surveyed supported the idea and 47 percent opposed it. Most Republicans -- 72 percent -- support Scott’s challenge and so do a majority -- 53 percent -- of independents. Only 15 percent of Democrats support Scott suing the federal government while 68 percent oppose it.
Frank Orlando, who teaches political science at Saint Leo University, says this poll shows how many Floridians don’t understand the issue.
“If 68 percent of the people, including a plurality of Republicans, think Medicaid expansion is good, and then in the very next question they say, ‘Yes, Governor Scott is right to sue,’ then I think it shows how complex the issue is,” Orlando noted. “ Because of that complexity, it is no surprise that voters are susceptible to variations in question wording.
“These issues are tough, and without the benefit of studying the issues in depth, it is difficult for voters to appropriately weigh trade-offs and then come to consistent positions on the Medicaid expansion question,” Orlando added.
The poll shows Scott above water with 50 percent approving of him and 45 percent disapproving of him.
“Gov. Scott continues to receive higher approval ratings at the beginning of his second term than he did in his first, with 50 percent of those surveyed saying they either strongly approve or somewhat approve of the governor’s job performance,” Orlando said. “This places him in line with other elected officials in the state.”
The Legislature is approved by 49 percent and disapproved by 44 percent. The Senate garners the same numbers with 49 percent approving and 44 percent disapproving. The House does slightly worse with 48 percent approving and 45 percent disapproving.
The St. Leo poll of 535 Floridians was taken from May 25-31 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
