Washington, D.C.—September 29, 2016—Likely voters in 10 battleground states say they strongly support increasing federal funding for cancer research and aren’t hearing enough from candidates on the issue, according to a new poll released today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). The poll found more than three-quarters of voters feel the need to increase cancer research funding is urgent (79%) with half saying the matter is extremely urgent (51%). Support remains strong even when voters are asked to weigh tax or deficit changes (63%), demonstrating their clear commitment to such funding.
“Voters understand how research saves lives,” said Chris Hansen, president of ACS CAN. “Sustained and significant federal investment in medical research, together with private innovation, spurs more precise diagnostic tools and improved and more effective treatments. Voters want and deserve to hear what steps candidates would take once elected to advance progress against a disease that kills more than a half million Americans annually.”
The poll findings were released today to kick off Cancer Votes, ACS CAN’s nationwide voter education campaign. Cancer Votes aims to elevate the issue of cancer in the election and to ensure both voters and candidates understand the need to make cancer a national priority. As part of the campaign, volunteers across the country are organizing activities to raise the profile of cancer issues, including van tours in nine battleground states, petition gathering and asking candidates what policy actions they would take to help reduce the cancer burden.
Cancer Votes volunteers have received responses to cancer-specific questions from 15 of 18 U.S. Senate candidates across the nine swing states along with responses from two presidential candidates.
The poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners and the Tarrance Group, comes amid a strong, bipartisan focus on the importance of medical research. For the last year, Congress has been considering significant increases in federal medical research funding through the appropriations process and the 21st Century Cures bill. There has also been a strong push for more funding through the Vice President’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative.
“Voters adamantly want the next Congress to keep focused on cancer research,” said Hansen. “Now is the time for candidates to make clear their commitment to accelerating the pace of such research through steady and significant federal funding increases,” said Hansen.
Other poll findings include:
- Even when they hear about an increase in taxes or in the deficit, voters continue to favor increasing federal investments. Nearly two-thirds of voters favored increasing federal investments in medical research for cancer even if it increased their taxes or increased the deficit (63 percent favor, 45 percent strongly favor).
- Voters say it is urgent for the federal government to increase federal funding for cancer research. More than three-quarters of voters say it is urgent, with about half saying it is extremely or very urgent (79 percent urgent, 51 percent extremely or very urgent).
- Voters do not think they are hearing enough from candidates about cancer research funding. Almost half of voters say candidates running for elected office are talking too little about funding cancer research (46 percent), while half say the candidates for President are talking too little about funding cancer research (47 percent). A substantial number of voters say they are not sure how much they hear from candidates (43 percent and 41 percent not sure, respectively).
- Voters feel it is important for the next President and Congress to focus on ending cancer as we know it. More than three-quarters of voters say it is very important for the next President and Congress to focus on ending cancer (83 percent important, 53 percent very important). When voters hear about the current administration’s Cancer Moonshot, almost two-thirds say it very important for the next administration to focus on ending cancer (84 percent important, 55 percent very important).
The poll was conducted in these 10 states: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
ACS CAN is strictly nonpartisan and does not endorse, oppose or contribute to any candidate or political party. For more information about Cancer Votes, visit www.cancervotes.org.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
