Swing District Voters Tell Their Reps Extend Unemployment Benefits if You Want to Keep Your Job

A Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey released December 23rd, shows voters in competitive House districts overwhelmingly support extending unemployment benefits  for Americans who are out of work. The survey polled voters in four critical Republican-held swing districts and in a fifth less competitive GOP district held by House speaker John Boehner. In addition to polling Boehner’s District (OH-8), PPP also surveyed voters in the districts held by Gary Miller (CA-31), Mike Coffman (CO-06),  Rodney Davis (IL-13), and Dan Benishek (MI-01).

In all five districts voters favored extending unemployment benefits by about a 2 to 1 margin. In each district, even Republican voters expressed support for extending unemployment benefits. In Michigan’s first district, Republican support for extending long term unemployment benefits polled at 60 percent with only 36 percent of GOP voters approving of cutting off those benefits. The poll demonstrates how out of touch House Republicans are not only with the American people, but even with rank and file Republicans.

GOP Congressmen who continue to play scrooge this holiday season may end up paying a price at the polls next November. All of the Republican congressmen surveyed have negative approval ratings already, and those numbers could plummet even further if the congressmen choose to cut off benefits for the unemployed. Voters in each district stated unequivocally that they would be less likely to vote for their congressional representative if he did not support extending unemployment benefits for those who need them.

Gary Miller, Mike Coffman, Rodney Davis, Dan Benishek, and even John Boehner had better take note. If they choose not to extend relief for America’s jobless this legislative session they may soon find themselves searching for a new job along with so many of their constituents.

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Keith Brekhus

Keith Brekhus is a progressive American who currently resides in Red Lodge, Montana. He is co-host for the Liberal Fix radio show. He holds a Master's Degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri. In 2002, he ran for Congress as a Green Party candidate in the state of Missouri. In 2014, he worked as a field organizer for Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick's successful re-election bid in Arizona's 1st Congressional District. He can be followed on Twitter @keithbrekhus or on Facebook.

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