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KEY FINDINGS – NATIONAL SURVEY

M E M O R A N D U M

Summary
Our most recent national survey shows that a majority of Americans support fully funding our military in Iraq, including a majority of Independents and a significant percentage of Democrats. Voters reject Democrats’ attempts to load up the Iraq War supplemental bill with pork barrel spending and oppose Democrats’ efforts to reduce troop levels. And in a veto showdown, Democrats, NOT the President, would get the blame for not fully funding the troops.

Key Findings

1.     A solid majority of Americans want Congress to fully fund the war in Iraq.

When asked if they favor or oppose Congress fully funding the war in Iraq, 56% favor fully funding the war in Iraq, while just 38% oppose. In fact, more voters STRONGLY favor (40%) Congress fully funding the war in Iraq than out-right oppose it (38%).

Support for funding our troops is consistent across the board:

• Republicans are unified with 87% support. A majority (55%) of Independents support fully funding the war in Iraq. Despite the party line vote in Congress, more than one in four Democrats support funding for our military in Iraq.

• Across the country, majorities of Americans support funding our troops - including 51% in the Northeast, 56% in the Midwest, 58% in the South, and 59% in the West.

2.     Americans soundly reject key components of the Democratic funding bill for Iraq.

When asked about the Democrats attaching spending for non-defense, domestic projects to a defense bill, more than three-in-five voters (64%) oppose the bill, including a majority (53%) who STRONGLY oppose it. Just 30% favor the Democrats use of pork barrel projects in the Iraq War funding legislation.

• Almost half of Democratic voters (41%) oppose including domestic spending in a defense bill.

A majority (54%) also oppose Democrats imposing a reduction in troops below levels requested by military commanders, while just 41% favor.

• Among Independents, 54% oppose the troop reduction levels, while just 37% favor it.

3.     Voters point the finger of blame squarely in the Democrats' direction for not fundingthe troops.

We read voters the following statements and asked them to pick which statement they agreed with the most.

President Bush has declared that he will veto the bill because it sets a timetable for withdrawal in Iraq and includes billions of dollars in non-emergency spending. By vetoing this bill, a spending bill for the troops will not be passed.

In thinking about this, which position do you agree with most? (ROTATE STATEMENTS)

40% (SOME/OTHER) people say that if President Bush vetoes the Democratic spending bill then Bush should be blamed for not funding the troops because his veto will mean that there is no spending package available for the troops.

...OR...

50% (OTHER/SOME) people say that if President Bush vetoes the Democratic spending bill then the Democrats in Congress are to be blamed for not funding the troops because they attached restrictions on the President and military commanders in Iraq along with billions of dollars in pork barrel spending to a bill intended to help the troops.

A plurality of Independent voters (47%) would blame Democrats for not funding the troops, while just 33% say the blame lies with the President.

Methodology
Public Opinion Strategies is pleased to present the key findings of a telephone survey conducted for the Republican National Committee on March 25-27, 2007. The survey was completed with 800 registered voters across the country, and has a margin of error of ±3.46% in 95 out of 100 cases.

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