The polling news about Obamacare has been pretty awful. But buried in this news may be a sign of a turnaround. The St Pete Times did a poll of the Tampa Bay region - which includes Tampa and St Pete. Their findings completely contradict the conventional wisdom about politics and Obamacare:
But the Tampa Bay Times, Bay News 9 and AM 820 News poll also found that 35 percent of residents in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties would like to repeal the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. Support among the rest was marginal.
While 48 percent of residents surveyed said they supported the law, most thought it needed improvements. Another 13 percent said they didn't like it but didn't want it repealed because they have not seen a better idea proposed.
Two key findings that should be stressed:
1. ONLY 20% WANT TO RETURN TO THE STATUS QUO.
This figure is consisent with the 2012 exit poll, which said only 26% of national voters wanted to completely repeal Obamacare.
2. PEOPLE WANT MORE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE
Twenty-seven percent of those polled would like to see a single-payer health care program run by the government, like the systems that exist in Canada and France.
Another 18 percent would extend Medicare, also a government program, to Americans of all ages regardless of disability status.
As most know there is an open seat in the 13th Congressional District in Florida. Much of that area is covered by this poll. If this number is right, that District may be a shock to Republicans who are counting on O'Care opposition to win.
The status quo is far more unpopular than Obamacare.