From ending the vehicle inspection mandate to work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid, Granite State voters overwhelmingly support legislation passed by Republicans and opposed by Democrats this year.
That’s the finding of a new NHJournal/Praecones Analytica poll of 612 registered voters in the Granite State taken between July 9-12.
And while Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s approval rating is just 40 percent approve/30 percent disapprove, she’s still +10 with Granite State voters. Another 30 percent said they’re not ready to give an opinion, a sign voters are still making up their minds about the first-term Republican but are trending her way.
Voters were asked if they approved or disapproved of high-profile bills passed by the GOP-controlled legislature. All seven had double-digit net approval from the voters, and all but one had majority support:
- Banning sanctuary city policies: 42 percent approve/29 percent disapprove.
- Ending the requirement for drivers to get a vehicle inspection every year: 53 percent approve/33 percent disapprove.
- Banning biological males from women’s bathrooms and locker rooms: 65 percent approve/21 percent disapprove.
- Work requirements for able-bodied adults who receive Medicaid: 64 percent approve/20 percent disapprove.
- Banning sex change procedures for minor children: 69 percent approve/16 percent disapprove.
- A “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban for students in K-12 schools: 64 percent approve/19 percent disapprove.
- Banning people from hostile foreign nations like China and Iran from buying property in New Hampshire: approve 60 percent/disapprove 18 percent.
NHJournal/Praecones Analytica poll
On some issues, the gap between New Hampshire Democratic lawmakers and the voters they represent is jaw-dropping.
For example, protecting minor children from permanent sex-change procedures is a +53 issue in New Hampshire. Even among registered Democrats, it’s +19 (48 approve/29 disapprove).
And yet 99 percent of Democrats in the state House and Senate voted to kill that legislation, even after it was clear the bill was going to pass.
“In a shocking revelation, it turns out that allowing men in women’s bathrooms and pushing higher property taxes onto working families isn’t exactly a winning slogan in New Hampshire,” said Rep. Ross Berry (R-Weare). “Let’s pray the Democrats never figure this out.”
Some of the issues, dealing with illegal immigration or gender politics, are important to parts of the Democratic Party base. But how to explain the near-unanimous votes from Democratic legislators against ending the annual vehicle inspection mandates, supported by a solid majority of voters?
It’s true that Democratic voters opposed ending the inspection mandate (39 approve/48 disapprove), but it’s a +17 issue with undeclared voters (48 approve/31 disapprove).
And yet the top Democrat in the state Senate, Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (D-Portsmouth), was on WGIR radio Friday morning explaining how her party was looking for ways “to eliminate a couple of items from inspection, but keeping the annual inspections.”
Perkins Kwoka said there is too much risk in allowing New Hampshire drivers on the road in uninspected vehicles.
“In a state where we don’t require insurance, where we have dangerous winter driving conditions…. This could really put folks at risk for someone with bald tires, no brakes, crashing into their family, and they’re being really no recourse for them.”
One relative bright spot for Democrats: Granite Staters remain evenly split on which party they prefer to hold power in Concord, giving Republicans a statistically insignificant 41 to 38 percent lead.
And support for the sanctuary city ban has actually declined a bit since NHJournal began polling, which matches a national trend. Trump’s once sky-high numbers on immigration have faded to a modest lead as more Americans appear to be unhappy over how immigration law enforcement is being handled.
Still, there is political danger for New Hampshire Democrats in this disconnect with the average voter on these high-profile issues, said pollster Jonathan Klingler with Praecones Analytica.
“GOP lawmakers in Concord clearly identified wedge issues that separate even rank-and-file Democratic voters from the party’s more organized activists,” Klingler said.
“In a polarized political environment such as ours, politicians may rely on support from allies committed to unpopular positions. This may pose a problem for Democrats if these issues take center stage in the upcoming midterms. Democratic legislators may be forced to choose between satisfying their most committed donors and volunteers and maintaining the party’s broader coalition.”
