Biden's Classified Docs, Debt Ceiling, Crypto Regulation, Immigration, Social Security Top American Voter Concerns - Harvard Harris Poll, January, 2023

Harvard Harris Poll Debrief with Mark Penn and Bob Cusack

Harris Poll Chairman Mark Penn and The Hill Editor-in-Chief Bob Cusack discuss the January Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll, conducted January 18-19, among 2,050 registered voters. ​ Download KEY FINDINGS.
Ahead of the looming debt ceiling fight, 63% of voters want Congress to raise the limit but with restraints on future spending.
President Joe Biden faces bipartisan scrutiny over his misplaced classified documents as over 7 in 10 voters support both a House of Representatives and an FBI investigation.
BIDEN’S CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CONCERN MOST AMERICANS, INCLUDING DEMOCRATS

• 64% of voters, including 44% of Democrats, think the presence of classified documents in several unsecure locations is a “serious” breach of national security.Half of voters, including one-third of Democrats, think the DOJ treated Biden’s classified documents case more leniently than Donald Trump’s.
• 74% of voters, including two-thirds of Democrats, support the Attorney General’s appointment of a special prosecutor for the Biden documents case.

VOTERS SIDE WITH REPUBLICANS ON DEBT CEILING NEGOTIATIONS AND SPENDING RESTRAINTS

• Americans care greatly about default: 69% of voters, including over two-thirds of each party, think a temporary debt default would be a “huge issue.”
• When given the size of the national debt ($31 trillion), 63% of voters want Congress to raise the debt limit only with restraints on future spending.
• Americans side with the GOP on negotiations: 61% of voters, including a slim majority of Democrats themselves, think the Democrats should cave to prevent a default.

KEVIN MCCARTHY EMERGES WITH MODERATE CONSERVATIVE IMAGE FROM THE SPEAKERSHIP FIGHT, NOT FAR RIGHT

• 78% of voters see McCarthy as moderate or conservative, not far right.
• 53% of voters, including a majority of both parties, think McCarthy will work with Democrats to create bipartisan legislation.

SUPPORT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION UNITES AMERICANS

• 85% of voters, including 88% of Republicans, want legislation that secures Social Security for two more decades.
• Two-thirds of voters, including 62% of Republicans, want compromise immigration legislation that strengthens the border but also gives DACA recipients a path to citizenship.

AMERICANS ARE SPLIT ON NON-COMPETES BUT WANT MORE CRYPTOCURRENCY REGULATION

• 60% of Democrats support and 60% of Republicans oppose the prospect of an FTC executive order that would ban all non-compete agreements.
• A majority of voters want more regulation on cryptocurrencies and consumer privacy/security on the Internet, but less or equal regulation on marijuana.