New poll shows net neutrality will influence 57% of voters in the midterm elections
A new poll shows that, once again, voters overwhelmingly support net neutrality on a bipartisan basis and want lawmakers to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to restore it.
The poll found that a majority of voters in battleground House districts will consider net neutrality when deciding who to vote for this November — and that net neutrality is a significant issue for undecided and independent voters.
The poll was commissioned by the Internet Freedom Business Alliance, a network of companies and trade associations who support strong net neutrality protections. The poll surveyed 1,600 voters in four swing districts currently held by Republicans (specifically CA-25, CO-6, FL-18, and NY-19). You can see the full findings here.
57% of all voters said net neutrality was important to them in deciding who to vote for in the midterm elections, and 60% of all voters and 64% of independent voters said that they would be more likely to vote for a Congress member who voted to restore the 2015 protections. Voters across the spectrum overwhelmingly support net neutrality protections, including 75% of independent voters.
The poll makes clear that net neutrality will be a powerful issue in his coming cycle. Undecided voters will be paying close attention to whether incumbents put their constituents ahead of the narrow, self-serving interests of telecom companies by signing the CRA discharge petition to overturn the FCC’s repeal.
Today’s findings come just as Fight for the Future launches a new crowdfunding campaign to put up billboards targeting members of Congress who support symbolic net neutrality legislation but refuse to sign on to the CRA. The CRA resolution has already passed the Senate and is Congress’s only viable method of restoring net neutrality protections this year.
Fight for the Future is kicking things off with billboards featuring Rep Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), who made the list after he decided to cosponsor Rep Mike Coffman’s 21st Century Internet Act without also signing the discharge petition for the CRA like Coffman (R-CO) did. You can chip in to support the campaign by donating here.
Those fighting for net neutrality have made themselves very clear since the FCC first voted to repeal the rules back in December: If lawmakers do not support the CRA to restore strong protections against blocking, throttling, and new fees, they are actively undermining the cause of net neutrality.
Poll after poll has shown that the FCC’s 2015 net neutrality protections are extremely popular across party lines. The new battleground polling serves as a strong warning to candidates this cycle: Support the CRA, or get ready to face the consequences on election day.
