Most Idahoans agree with their GOP-controlled Legislature on allowing any adult to carry a concealed gun, but a significant majority didn’t like that lawmakers adjourned last month without passing a Medicaid expansion bill, a new Idaho Politics Weekly poll finds.
On another matter, Idahoans are split over whether lawmakers should have banned instant horse racing betting terminals, found pollster Dan Jones & Associates.
Like many conservative-run states, Idaho has struggled with how to expand Medicaid health benefits to low-income citizens – or whether to do it at all.
So far the Idaho Legislature has refused to pass any expansion – which was called for in Obamacare and, if done fully, brings tens of millions of federal Medicaid matching dollars into the state.
Jones finds that 64 percent of Idahoans disagree with the Legislature’s inaction of Medicaid expansion.
Only 30 percent agree with doing nothing on helping the low-income with heath care insurance, and 7 percent don’t know.
On a political breakout:
- 49 percent of Idaho Republicans disagree with their own party lawmakers, who refused to act in the 2016 Legislature.
- 41 percent of Republican rank-and-file agree with the inaction; 10 percent don’t know.
No hesitancy among Democrats:
- 87 percent disagree, saying Medicaid expansion should be adopted in Idaho.
- Only 10 percent agree with lawmakers’ inaction, and 2 percent don’t know.
Political independents also want Medicaid expansion:
- 67 percent disagree with the GOP lawmakers’ do-nothing stand.
- 28 percent agree, and 5 percent don’t know.
Across the nation, conservative 2nd Amendment rights legislatures are passing laws allowing their citizens to carry a gun concealed without a state permit.
Idaho followed in the 2016 session, expanding concealed carry rights statewide.
And most citizens agree with that action:
- 57 percent agree with the new law – you don’t need a permit to carry a concealed handgun.
- 40 percent disagree, and 3 percent don’t know.
Republicans and political independents favor the change, Democrats don’t.
Jones found: Republicans favor the change, 76-22 percent; independents favor no C/C permit, 55-43 percent.
But Democrats oppose doing away with concealed carry permits, 76-19 percent.
Finally, Idahoans are split over the dispute on whether instant horse racing terminals and payouts should be allowed. While betting on horse racing is still legal in the state, the Legislature did away with the instant terminals.
Jones finds that 46 percent of all Idahoans disagree with that prohibition, 33 percent agree, and a rather large number don’t have an opinion, 20 percent.
Republicans, Democrats and political independents all feel about the same on the issue: Republicans disagree with the prohibition, 44-38 percent; Democrats do not agree with the action, 49-32 percent; and independents don’t like the change, 46-31 percent.
Jones polled 603 adults from April 8-19. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.99 percent.
