We can't find a state that doesn't like Build Back Better

Welcome back to the Data for Progress newsletter, your weekly update on our research, blog posts, and memos.

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With Biden’s first 100 days in the dust and the 2022 midterms looming ahead, we’re going to start hearing more and more about the strength of the Democratic agenda in key battleground states and what that will mean for Democrats’ electoral prospects. How popular is Biden’s agenda with the voters who will decide the makeup of Congress in 2022?

In a new series of reports, Data for Progress conducted surveys of how voters in the following states feel about Biden’s American Rescue Plan, American Jobs Plan, and American Families Plan: AZ, CO, GA, MI, MT, NH, NC, PA, WV, and WI. The verdict? Voters overwhelmingly support Biden's Build Back Better plans.

We found that a majority of likely voters in all ten key states support the American Rescue Plan, and largely credit President Biden and congressional Democrats for passing its popular provisions. We also found majority support in all ten states for the American Jobs and Families Plans and their provisions, which were backed by overwhelming numbers of Democrats, firm majorities of Independents, and about a third of Republicans.

Take a look at the 11(!!) short memos (and thank you to our designer, Billie)! When the pundits start deliberating on how strong Biden’s message is in the districts Democrats need to win, this is your inside scoop to prove the “Build Back Better” agenda is highly popular across the country.

And the American Jobs and Families Plans aren’t just popular as standalone bills. In new polling released on Wednesday, we find that a majority of voters want to pass both plans together — all while using budget reconciliation to avoid the filibuster. A 24-point margin of voters want to pass both plans with a simple majority vote.

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Here are some other highlights from DFP over the past week:

Voters support climate finance regulations

Yesterday, President Biden released an executive order to assess how climate risks are impacting our financial system. Our new polling with Evergreen Action finds that measures to prevent Wall Street from causing a climate-driven financial crisis are highly popular — a 31-point majority of voters want the government to enforce safeguards on banks to prevent a future economic crisis driven by climate change.

DFP x Crooked: Voters support the American Families Plan across three different framings

Wondering how national voters feel about Biden’s infrastructure initiatives? Data for Progress and Vote Save America joined forces to assess voters’ opinions on the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan, and found that even when these plans are presented with a variety of different frames — including national competitiveness with foreign countries and the need for a strong care economy — voters strongly support Biden’s plans.

Interactive map: swing and red Congressional districts love the American Jobs Plan

The AJP isn’t just popular in blue states — we released a new interactive map with the League of Conservation Voters displaying support for the proposal’s main provisions in each House district. We find that even red districts are on board with investing in clean energy jobs, eliminating all lead pipes, and targeting 40 percent of investments to frontline communities.

Congresswoman Marie Newman: we don’t have a shortage of labor, we have a shortage of companies offering living wages, decent benefits, and affordable health care.

Join us in welcoming Rep. Marie Newman to the DFP blog! This week, she wrote a piece for us on how the reason for all those “workers aren’t working” signs you’ve seen in the windows of stores isn’t that people are lazy — it’s that companies aren’t providing workers with adequate wages and benefits. After a brutal year of living through a pandemic, workers are fed up — and if the GOP wants Americans to get back to work, they need to value workers’ wellbeing and fight for their right to a living wage.

New York voters support the state’s recent progressive budget measures — and firmly reject austerity.

Last year, New York state cut Medicaid, underfunded schools, and rolled back crucial bail reforms. This year’s budget, signed in April, is a significant step in the right direction: it allocates a massive amount of funding to schools, clean energy, rental assistance, and childcare. And it’s paid for largely by taxing the wealthiest New Yorkers.

In a new memo, we show that New York voters overwhelmingly prefer raising taxes on the rich over austerity measures. We also find that key provisions in the budget — including raising taxes on millionaires and corporations, providing additional assistance to renters, and boosting public education funding — are highly popular.

Check out our new Green New Deal Slate!

The Green New Deal Slate is back with some more exciting candidates across the country that are fighting for clean energy in some of the most pivotal races for our environment. Here’s our slate:

Toshiko Hasegawa for Seattle Port Position 4
India Walton for Mayor of Buffalo, NY
Progress for Peekskill (NY)
Teri Castillo for San Antonio City Council District 5
Jalen McKee Rodriguez for San Antonio City Council District 2
Diana Saleh for Arlington City Council District 3
Jennifer Adeli for Virginia HD 34
Richard Walker for Virginia HD 71
Ibraheem Samirah for Virginia HD 86
Steve Singer for Allegheny County Council District 9

Check out the candidates and donate to them by clicking here!