Washington, D.C. — A new poll commissioned by the Center for American Progress Action and conducted by Public Policy Polling, or PPP, shows Republican Sen. Pat Roberts leading Independent Greg Orman by 1 percentage point, within the margin of error. The poll also shows Republican Gov. Sam Brownback trailing State Representative Paul Davis by 4 percentage points. The poll takes a deeper dive into issues in Kansas, including wages and economic growth, as well as gun laws, and finds that in the Senate race voters lean toward Orman on the issues, strongly in some cases. This poll shows that while the race is close, voters are ready for common-sense action on the many kitchen table issues facing Kansan families.
Some of the key findings of the survey include:
- On growing the economy, Kansans support raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by a 54–50 margin, and 60 percent say the best way to create an economy that works for everyone is by paying fair wages and investing in workers, as opposed to cutting taxes and regulations.
- Additionally, Sen. Roberts voted against the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would help ensure equal pay for equal work. This makes 41 percent of Kansans less likely to vote for him as opposed to 17 percent who say they would be more likely.
- Maybe the most surprising results out of Kansas are on the issue of guns. Last year, Sen. Roberts voted against a common-sense bill that would have required comprehensive background checks for gun sales, a vote that makes Kansans less likely to support him by a net of 17 percentage points. Orman has voiced support for background checks. Additionally, support for Roberts drops 5 percentage points based on his position on abortion rights.
“More than almost any other state, Kansas is feeling the negative effects of trickle-down economics, which help the wealthy few and no one else,” said Gov. Ted Strickland, President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. “Hard-working Americans know the best way to grow our economy is by investing in workers and by growing stagnant wages. That is why we have seen support grow for issues such as a minimum-wage increase, and even major retailers say we need to put more money into the pockets of workers.”
This Public Policy Poll of 752 likely voters was conducted on October 30-31 with a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percent.
Please find the full poll attached here.
For more information or to talk to an expert, please contact Benton Strong at 202.481.8142 or [email protected].
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