More Bad News For Heinrich As ObamaCare Approval Hits An All-Time Low

As liberal Congressman Martin Heinrich struggles to defend his decision to cast the deciding vote in favor of government-run healthcare, this month’s Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll shows that both Heinrich and President Obama have even greater reason to fear New Mexican voters at the polls next year: their 2,700 page, $2.5 trillion health care law is less popular than ever.

The poll’s summary and toplines show a bleak picture for Heinrich, Obama, and their fellow Washington Democrats:

• Overall favorability of the law stands at 34%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of very favorable support stands at 12%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think they personally will be better off due to the law stands at a mere 18%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think the country as a whole will be better off due to the law stands at 28%, an all-time low;
• Approval of the law among Democrats dropped by 13% in the last month to only 52%, an all-time low.

“As approval for government-run healthcare hits an all-time low, New Mexicans will remember that Martin Heinrich listened to Nancy Pelosi and voted for this flawed bill,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox today.  “When will Heinrich finally acknowledge the reality that his health care debacle is so unpopular because of its onerous mandates, harmful results to New Mexico’s patients and doctors, and tremendous cost to New Mexican taxpayers?” 

Notably, Heinrich once said that ObamaCare would result in large and immediate reforms.  But the U.S. Senate Finance and U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees released a joint report earlier this year, estimating that ObamaCare’s Medicaid spending mandates alone will cost states at least $118 billion through the first decade of full implementation (through 2013).  Specifically, the report reveals that Heinrich’s new mandates will cost New Mexico $278 million over five years. 

Background Information:

MARTIN HEINRICH:  “The benefits of reform will be large and immediate for New Mexicans, and our nation will be stronger and healthier because of it.” (Martin Heinrich, Heinrich Makes Historic Vote For Health Reform To Improve the Lives of Hundreds of Thousands of New Mexicans, Press Release, 03/21/10)