Americans split on Supreme Court decision

Public opinion on last week’s Supreme Court ruling on the sweeping federal health care reform law is as sharply divided along partisan and ideological lines as are views of the law itself, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
Supporters of President Barack Obama's health care law celebrate outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, June 28, 2012, after the court's ruling was announced. AP Photo/David Goldman) (David Goldman - AP)

Most Americans agree on one thing related to the court’s upholding the law – that they feel “strongly” about the outcome - but the consensus ends there.

Overall, the poll finds attitudes split down the middle on the court ruling, with 43 percent holding favorable impressions of the ruling, and just as many, 42 percent, holding unfavorable ones.

The partisan gap is stark: Fully two-thirds of conservative Republicans have strongly unfavorable views of the judgment, and nearly as many liberal Democrats – 61 percent – hold intensely positive ones. Among political independents, 36 percent have overall favorable impressions; 43 percent overall negative views.

Partisans are also fairly well lined up behind their parties’ presidential candidates on the issue: 80 percent of Democrats have favorable views of President Obama’s plans for health care; most, but fewer Republicans – 62 percent – have positive views of Mitt Romney’s ideas.

One potential trouble spot for both campaigns, however, is that independents tilt away from both approaches. Independents lead away from Obama’s plans: 38 percent favorable to 52 percent unfavorable. The percentage of independents with negative views of Romney’s plans outnumbers positive impressions by twenty percentage points (46 to 26 percent, with a sizable 28 percent expressing no opinion).

There is, however, one other thing that draws similar views across party lines: In a Pew Research Center poll released Monday, majorities of Democrats, Republicans and independents alike noted – correctly – that the court upheld most of the law’s provisions.

House Dems raise cash off ruling: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $2.3 million since the Supreme Court’s health care ruling, Chairman Steve Israel (N.Y.) announced Tuesday morning. Nearly 65,000 people have donated; the average contribution was $35 dollars.

Israel adds that Saturday was the committee’s best grassroots fundraising day in history.

Romney announced raising $4.6 million from 47,000 donors in the day after the ruling. Obama’s campaign said they had outpaced the Republican but that they would not release numbers.

New ad in Montana: The Montana Democratic party is on the air with a new ad attacking Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R), who is challenging Sen. Jon Tester (D).

“After 12 years in Washington, Congressman Dennis Rehberg has forgotten where he comes from,” the narrator says. “Because Rehberg voted to protect special tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. Even while multimillionaires like Rehberg already pay a lower tax rate than the rest of us here in Montana.”

It’s part of an existing $400,000 buy running through July 9; the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee gave the party money for the campaign.

Hirono up 15: A new internal poll from the campaign of Rep. Mazie Hirono (D) shows her with a double-digit lead over former Rep. Ed Case in the Democratic Senate primary.

While the most recent public survey showed a tie, most polls gives Hirono the edge here. The winner will face former governor Linda Lingle (R).

FixBits:

Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) might not attend the Democratic National Convention — even though its right next door.

* New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R), a potential VP nominee, will march with Romney in a July 4 parade.

* After a recount, Democrats have won control of the Wisconsin state senate.

Must Reads:

How loss of enthusiasm among youth voters could cost Obama the presidency - Peter Goodman, Huffington Post

Eric Holder says Republicans have made him a ‘proxy’ to attack President Obama - Sari Horwitz, Washington Post

With Rachel Weiner

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