The American Rescue Plan Continues to Hold Bipartisan Support
By Ethan Winter and Evangel Penumaka
Introduction
The American Rescue Plan (ARP), which was signed into law on March 11, 2021. The law allocates money for vaccine distribution, sends $1,400 stimulus checks to most Americans, provides aid to state and local government, and expands the Child Tax Credit. Republican lawmakers gambled that as the American people learned more about the ARP support for the bill would drop. In a mid-March survey of likely voters nationally, Invest in America and Data for Progress sought to test this hypothesis.
In our retrospective, Invest in America and Data for Progress, finds that the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package remains incredibly popular among likely voters and retains bipartisan support. We also find that likely voters are glad Democrats passed this bill, providing Americans much-needed pandemic relief, even if it lacked support from Republicans in Congress.
The American Rescue Plan Enjoys Bipartisan Support
Following it being signed into law, likely voters continue to support the American Rescue Plan by a 52-percentage-point margin (73 percent support, 21 percent oppose). This level of support holds steady from our previous polling at the start of March. In that poll, we found the ARP was supported by a 51-point margin.
In our latest polling, notably, the ARP also retains high levels of bipartisan support. Self-identified Democrat, Independent / Third Party and Republican voters support the American Rescue Plan by margins of 87-points, 40-points and 17-points, respectively. The levels of support among likely Republican voters even after the bill’s passage is striking when considering that no Republican lawmakers voted to pass the bill.
Next, we examined which party likely voters think is responsible for enacting key provisions of the bill, such as the $1,400 stimulus checks and aid for state and local governments. Across the board, voters credit Democrats in Congress and President Joe Biden, not Republicans in Congress and former President Donald Trump.
Last, we looked at likely voters’ perceptions of how the American Rescue Plan was passed. In particular, we wanted to see how opinions may shift when likely voters are told that no Republicans in Congress voted for the measure. To do this, likely voters were presented with two possible responses: (1) that they are glad Democrats passed the ARP, even though it lacked support from Republican lawmakers and (2) that Democrats should not have passed the bill because winning support from Republicans in Congress was more important.
We find that by a 33-point margin, voters are glad that Democrats passed the relief package and provided relief to those who need it. We also find Democrats and Independents express this sentiment by margins of 83-points and 27-points, respectively.
The Impact of the American Rescue Plan Was Felt Across Partisan Lines
In this poll, we also asked likely voters whether or not they received a $1,400 check. We find that 44 percent of likely voters report they have. Likely voters who said they received a check were then asked a follow up question: “How has receiving this money impacted you?” Those asked this question were then able to answer in an open end format, allowing them to respond in their own words. Below is a collection of responses from likely voters that self-identify as either Republican or leaning towards the Republicans.
“I am getting things fixed at my house.”
“able to buy food and pay bills”
“It’s allowing me to fix a place for myself and my children to live in forever”
“Help with expenses”
“i spend money for my family”
“Gave us money to donate to charity”
“Reassuring”
“Paid for needed dental care.”
“I was able to get food, pay some bills and get my medications.”
“A whole lot of safety and daily living”
“It made my life better”
“Helping pay down debt”
“Paid in full outstanding Hospital and medical bills.”
“It was sorely needed and helped out a lot.”
While Republicans in Congress withheld their votes on critically needed pandemic relief, Democrats acted. They distributed sorely needed aid to those most in need and the impacts of this are felt across party lines. On net, Independent and Republican voters know that it was the Democrats who helped them when they needed it.
Conclusion
Invest in American and Data for Progress find that the ARP, even after its passage, retains high levels of bipartisan. Crucially, this level of support remains stable across the month of March. Furthermore, likely voters can, on net, correctly identify that elected Democrats are responsible for passing some of the key provisions of the law..
Toplines to this polling can be found here.
Authorship and Methodology
Evangel Penumaka (@evangelpenumaka) is an analyst at Data for Progress
Ethan Winter (@EthanBWinter) is a senior analyst at Data for Progress. You can email him at ethan@dataforprogress.org
From March 19 to March 21, 2021, Invest in America and Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1291 likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, and voting history. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error is ±3 percentage points.