A new poll of registered voters in the battleground states of Maine, Georgia, and North Carolina found broad dissatisfaction with Senate leadership and strong support for the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
The survey, conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, sampled registered Democrats and Republicans equally and found that 59.8% of respondents disapprove of Senate Republicans’ job performance, including 15.8% who said they strongly disapprove.
The poll also found that 62.8% of voters disapprove of Senate Democrats’ performance, with 9.9% saying they strongly disapprove.
“The Senate has proven time and time again — whether it is failing to pass the SAVE America Act or failing to fully fund [the Department of Homeland Security], including [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and [Customs and Border Protection]—that they are weak, ineffective, and pathetic,” Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told The Daily Signal in reaction to the poll, adding that it is “not hard to understand why” Americans are losing trust in the Senate.
“They need to get their act together right now, stop the procedural games, and start getting wins on the board,” he added. “Their refusal to act on critical issues such as election integrity and immigration enforcement, both vitally important to the American people, will not be forgotten.”
Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., echoed his colleagues’ remarks and told The Daily Signal that “the Senate should have acted yesterday and must now move without further delay to defend the integrity of our electoral process.”
Harris’ and Self’s comments came one day after the Senate returned from a two-week recess without voting on the legislation.
According to the survey, 12.1% of respondents said they would be less likely to vote in upcoming elections if the SAVE America Act does not pass, while another 12% said they were unsure whether they would turn out.
McLaughlin & Associates reported that only 25% of voters support bringing the bill to the Senate floor solely as a “show vote,” a procedural move in which lawmakers vote on legislation expected to fail in order to put members on record.
The survey found overwhelming support for election integrity measures, with 92.3% of respondents saying only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in federal elections. Additionally, 73% said they support requiring proof of citizenship to vote, while 64% said voters should be required to present identification at the polling place.
Only 35% of respondents said requiring valid government-issued identification to vote would prevent Americans without identification from voting. Less than 2% of respondents said they do not possess a government-issued ID.
The survey also found that 55% of respondents believe illegal immigrants receive Social Security numbers, which respondents said could facilitate their placement on state voter rolls.
DHS Funding
The poll also measured public opinion on the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which has remained unfunded since February, following a breakdown in negotiations between Congress and the White House over immigration enforcement and oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
According to the survey, 44.6% of voters said they believe Democrats are responsible for the department’s closure, while 54% disagreed.
