Majority Tennessee Voters Oppose Federal Program Cuts Poll

A recent Vanderbilt University poll surveying over 1,200 registered Tennessee voters reveals strong bipartisan opposition to federal spending cuts in key programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans' health care, with opposition rates above 85% across all political affiliations. Inflation and the high cost of living are major concerns for Tennesseans regardless of party, while opinions are more divided on issues like immigration, tariffs, and President Donald Trump's policies. Notably, even among self-identified MAGA Republicans, there is substantial resistance to cuts in social welfare programs. The poll also found broad opposition to reducing funding for national parks and research institutions, though these issues showed more partisan variation. Additionally, Tennessee voters expressed discomfort with billionaire Elon Musk having access to federal personal data, and less than half support Trump's tariff measures. Experts emphasize that despite political polarization, there are significant areas of agreement among Tennessee voters on preserving essential federal programs.