New Polling: Voters Demand Response to Citizens United and to Problem of Big Money in Politics

Voters are disillusioned with Congress and concerned about the influence of special interests on their elected officials, according to a national survey conducted by the bipartisan pair of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (D) and McKinnon Media (R). The poll was released today by campaign finance groups Change Congress, Common Cause, and Public Campaign Action Fund.

From the research findings: Voters will support members of Congress that support broad and bold legislation to blunt the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and 62 percent of voters support a description of the bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752, H.R. 1826).

“Voters are tired of special interests’ stranglehold over the policy making process in Washington, D.C.,” said David Donnelly, national campaigns director for Public Campaign Action Fund. “The Supreme Court’s decision has made the situation worse and they expect Congress to act.”

The survey found that 79 percent of respondents believe special interests “control” members of Congress, and 64 percent are opposed to the Citizens United decision. Sixty-two percent of respondents support a system like that in the Fair Elections Now Act that would provide limited public funds for candidates who take no contributions larger than $100. Sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Reps. John Larson (D-Conn) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.), the legislation has 134 House co-sponsors, the most support for any reform measure in Congress right now.

The poll of 804 likely voters was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and McKinnon Media from February 2-February 4, 2010. The full memo can be found at www.fairelectionsnow.org/2010polling.