Here’s what Arizona voters think about college debt forgiveness
Sep 20, 2022, 9:32 AM
Demonstrators gather near The White House to tell President Biden to cancel student debt on May 12, 2020, in Washington, DC. (File Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million)
(File Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million)
PHOENIX – New polling on how Arizona voters feel about President Joe Biden’s college debt forgiveness plan paints a complicated picture.
The overall response leans to the positive side, with 50% of respondents approving of the plan, 46% disapproving and 4% having no opinion, according to results released Monday by OH Predictive Insights.
The favorable tilt is even larger within the key bloc of independent voters, who approve of the plan by a 52%-42% margin, with 6% having no opinion.
The poll of likely Arizona voters was conducted Sept. 6-9 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.83%.
Unsurprisingly, the president’s intent to cancel up to $10,000 in student loans for millions of Americans, and another $10,000 for those with the greatest financial need, is much more attractive to members of his own party.
Eighty percent of Arizona Democrats approved of the move, while 71% of Republicans disapproved.
A similar dynamic, although to a lesser degree, was seen between younger and older voters, with 64% of those under 55 approving and 64% age 55 and up disapproving.
Mike Noble, OH Predictive Insights chief of research, said that while the issue isn’t having much impact on voter enthusiasm, the age split could be a good sign for Republican candidates.
“Biden’s recent move to forgive student debt had some mixed results,” Noble told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “Younger voters – very popular with them. Older voters – not so popular with them.
“Why does that matter? In midterm elections, older voters have a much higher propensity to turn out and vote than younger voters do.”
