Mass: 46% of voters said their vote was mainly to show support for health care reform

[ProSense]

Exit Survey Of Massachusetts Voters Confirms Lack Of Enthusiasm Among Progressives Hurt Coakley

An exit survey of Massachusetts voters confirms that “decreased turnout among constituencies that historically have voted for progressive candidates,” combined with a strong Republican performance among independents, delivered Scott Brown the margins he needed to win.

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But even despite the depressed progressive turnout in yesterday’s election, a majority of voters (51%) still felt Obama and the Democrats are . Issues, while important to voters, split along partisan lines: Coakley won health care voters, while Brown won among jobs and economy voters and tax/spending voters:

– Forty-six (46%) of voters said their vote was mainly to show support for health care reform rather than to show opposition to it (35%).

– Independents sent a clearer signal on the issue, with 44% stating their vote was mainly in opposition to reform and 30% saying it was mainly in support.

– Coakley voters were stronger in their support for reform (80% said their vote was mainly in support of reform) than Brown voters were in opposition to it (65% said their vote was mainly in opposition to reform).

– Coakley won among voters who rated health care reform a “10” on an importance scale (Coakley 53% to 47% for Brown), Brown won among voters who said the same for jobs and the economy (Brown 55% to 44% for Coakley) and won bigger among voters who highlighted taxes and spending (Brown 70% to Coakley 29%).

Brown, who supported Mass health reform, ran on protecting Medicare. Independents were opposed to a bigger government role in health care.

Summary: Republicans' confusing spin won.

[glowing]

1. What is the avg age in MA these days anyways? Isn't it becoming and "older" state?

Many of the "kids" have had to leave or have left to southern states to try to find work and a break from high costs of living, but paltry pay. The bill is cutting Medicare.. but its supposed to be a cut in the big give-aways that Bush gave to the ins. co's... I think.. but of course no one knows what's really in the bill at this point.. such a mess.. should have and could have rammed single-payer in and been done with the insurance/ pharma give-away.

[WI_DEM]

3. Obama and Dems are having a big problem with older voters

that has been consistent in poll after poll. The younger voters are much stronger towards Obama. The problem is that older voters tend to vote in higher numbers. One of the problems is that the GOP has successfully promoted the idea that HCR means cuts in Medicare.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. I think that there's some racial animosity tied to that as well. They were always

opposed to anything Obama did. They didn't vote for him anyway.

[treestar]

2. Looks like the "progressives" are wrong

Or, the progressives on DU are not representative of real ones.

[Blasphemer]

5. But, did they poll the voters who did not turn out?

There is an acknowledgment of decreased turnout for progressive constituencies. It makes sense that a significant amount of those who did vote support reform. The real question is what was behind the decision of those who did not turn out to vote. Most importantly, Democrats have a BIG problem with Independents. Poll after poll shows that they are not happy.