Affordability has emerged as the top health priority for voters who identify with the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, according to a new poll conducted by KFF, a nonpartisan health research organization. The survey found that lowering costs will have a "major impact" on voting decisions for at least half of MAHA supporters across parties in the upcoming November midterm elections.
Key Takeaways
Affordability has emerged as the top health priority for MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) voters ahead of the November midterm elections. A KFF poll found that 61% of respondents said health costs will have a major impact on their voting decision, surpassing concerns about food safety and vaccine policy.
- Affordability is the dominant issue for MAHA voters in the midterms
- 61% of respondents say health costs will significantly influence their vote
- Trump's approval ratings have declined amid rising cost-of-living concerns
- MAHA activists express mixed feelings about the administration's health policies
President Donald Trump's approval rating has sunk to a new low as cost-of-living concerns, fueled by the war on Iran and surging gasoline prices, take center stage. The KFF poll revealed that 61% of all respondents said health costs will significantly influence their vote, putting the issue ahead of concerns about food safety and vaccine policy.
"This poll really shows that the issues the MAHA movement has elevated resonate broadly with the American public, but even for voters who support MAHA, healthcare costs are the dominant priority by a wide margin," said Audrey Kearney, senior survey analyst at KFF. The survey was conducted April 14-19 among a nationally representative sample of 1,343 U.S. adults, with about 500 identifying as MAHA supporters.
The poll also found that 42% of MAHA voters prioritized lowering costs as their most important health issue for the federal government. In contrast, 21% focused on restricting chemical additives in food, and 10% emphasized reevaluating vaccine safety. The administration's actions, such as protecting domestic output of a widely-used weedkiller and nominating a former COVID response official to lead the CDC, have disappointed many MAHA activists.
Despite these disappointments, Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, expressed hope that the administration will change direction on pesticides. "This administration has done more for health than any other administration ever in recorded history," she said. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s approval ratings have remained relatively steady, with about four in ten voters approving of his job performance.
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