MADISON, Wis. —New data from the Platform Communications’ Badger Battleground Poll indicates Wisconsin voters are more likely to favor candidates who stand up for hospital funding. Two-thirds (66%) of all voters said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports increased hospital funding – an opinion that crossed political party lines with 81% of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 53% of Republican voters.
Conversely, only 1 in 10 voters are more likely to vote for a candidate that cuts funding to hospitals and 76% of voters say they are less likely to support candidates that cut funding. Notably, 88% of Democratic and 68% of Republican voters said they were less likely to support a candidate that cuts funding to hospitals.
“It is important for elected officials to understand broad support exists across the political spectrum for hospitals,” said President/CEO Kyle O’Brien. “Wisconsin voters support those who support hospitals.”
The survey, commissioned as part of the recent bipartisan Badger Battleground Poll, also found that news of hospital closures continues to have an impact. 65% of voters in the state are concerned that hospitals in Wisconsin are at risk of having to close or limit their services. Those concerns came from every corner of the state, with strong majorities in every media market sharing the same sentiment. In the Eau Claire market – where hospital closures have made news in recent years – 78% of voters say they are very or somewhat concerned about statewide hospital closures.
In the last state budget, Democrats and Republicans came together to provide critical funding to hospitals. “With concern over hospital closures still high in every corner of the state, it’s important that elected officials communicate their support for hospitals to voters,” said O’Brien. “Support for hospitals is a winning issue in Wisconsin.”
Read the full polling memo here.
