Congressman John Yarmuth has been criticized over his support for President Barack Obama’s controversial plan to reform healthcare.
Yarmuth is up for re-election this year and our exclusive WHAS11/Courier-Journal Bluegrass Poll looks at what effect his support of healthcare reform is having on his chances for re-election.
Just four years after his narrow victory over conservative republican congresswoman Anne Northup, Congressman John Yarmuth is touting progressive liberal issues as he guns for his third term in Congress.
Eight months from the general election, we polled voters in the third congressional district.
If the election was held today, most voters who have made up their minds would vote for Congressman John Yarmuth's reelection but a whopping 48% say it all depends on who else is on the ballot.
In 3rd Congressional District, a poll of 1979 Registered Voters showed:
For Yarmuth 27%
Against Yarmuth 23%
Depends on Ballot 48%
Margin of Sampling Error +/- 2.2%
Yarmuth said, “Well I think it's pretty encouraging that 77% of the people say they might vote for me.
I mean I got 41% of the people didn't vote for me last time and now only 23% say they're not going to, I think that's pretty amazing.”
Yarmuth acknowledges that amid a sagging economy and soaring unemployment rates, voters are getting impatient.
He said, “I think it's going to be a difficult year for everybody who's running. I think the electorate is much more demanding this year. I think they are going to be much more circumspect in their judgment.”
Yarmuth has championed liberal causes since he was first elected in 2006 and liberal voters are behind him. 51% say they'll vote for him regardless of who he faces in the Fall.
In 3rd Congressional District, a poll of Liberal Voters showed:
For Yarmuth 51%
Against Yarmuth 8%
Depends on Ballot 39%
Margin of Sampling Error +/- 2.2%
Among Independent voters, Yarmuth has a mere 14% support, with 65% saying they might vote for him.
For Yarmuth 14%
Against Yarmuth 21%
Depends on Ballot 65%
Margin of Sampling Error +/- 2.2%
But the conservative backlash to Yarmuth is being shouted from the rooftops, or at least this highly visible billboard in I-65's Hospital Curve downtown that tells Yarmuth this is Louisville, Kentucky, start voting like it.
Yarmuth is seen with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with whom Yarmuth is fighting for the massive health care overhaul bill.
He said, “As I've always said, I'm not in this job just to get reelected. And i think we're working on some really big things. And if we can get health care reform done, which I think we're going to do, I will be extremely proud of that. I have no problem campaigning on that accomplishment.”
For the latest in election news, visit WHAS11 Political Editor Joe Arnold’s Political Blog.
