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House Republicans Opposed To Extended Unemployment Benefits Could Pay The Price In 2014: Poll

House Republicans Opposed To Extended Unemployment Benefits Could Pay The Price In 2014: Poll
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Politics Social Media Editor, HuffPost

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An overwhelming majority of voters are opposed to cutting off extended jobless benefits for the unemployed, a poll revealed on Monday.

The left-leaning Public Policy Polling surveyed voters in four key congressional districts, as well as House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) district, to gauge support for extending unemployment benefits. The poll, funded by the liberal advocacy group Americans United for Change, showed that voters across party lines were overwhelmingly in favor of extending the benefits, with 63 to 68 percent of voters in each district expressing support for preserving jobless benefits.

Voters in the four districts surveyed said they were less likely to vote for the Republican incumbent in 2014 -- by at least a 9-point margin -- were he to vote to cut off extended unemployment benefits.

Though jobless benefits are set to expire on Dec. 28 for 1.3 million longterm unemployed Americans, members of the House and Senate have returned home for the holidays without a solution to preserve those benefits. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said it was an "immorality" that the benefits weren't secured in a recent budget deal, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has promised to bring the extension to a vote no later than Jan. 7, 2014.

Moderate Republicans urged Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to rescue jobless benefits for the longterm unemployed earlier in December, saying the issue was "important to many American families." But Boehner would only consider the proposal if cuts were made elsewhere and job growth guaranteed, and the measure ultimately did not make it into Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget deal.

"Speaker Boehner and fellow Washington Republicans are hopelessly out-of-touch, and their decision to Scrooge over a million unemployed Americans three days after Christmas is the latest and among the worst examples of it," Jeremy Funk, communications director of Americans United for Change, said. "All these struggling Americans got from the GOP for Christmas was a ‘Get Employed Soon’ card."

Funk warned cuts to jobless benefits for the longterm unemployed would only put more Americans out of work, and bring a chain reaction of economic fallout in 2014.

"But it’s not just in America’s economic interest to extend [unemployment insurance] benefits, these polls show it’s in swing district Republicans’ own political interest to support the jobless in their districts," Funk said. "Otherwise they just might join their ranks."

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John Boehner's Shutdown Showdown Stares
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WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 09: House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) walks through Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol, October 9, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, with House House GOP leaders, speaks with reporters following a Republican strategy session, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner arrives at the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on October 16, 2013. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, right, accompanied by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., walks to a news conference on the ongoing budget battle, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, following a meeting with House Republicans. Boehner said Republicans will advance legislation to temporarily extend the government's ability to borrow to meet its obligations. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (credit:AP)
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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-OH, arrives for a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 2013. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, right, accompanied by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., walks to a news conference on the ongoing budget battle, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, joined by fellow Republicans, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, following a closed-door GOP meeting, to announce that House Republicans will advance legislation to temporarily extend the government's ability to borrow money to meet its financial obligations. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, flanked by Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, left, and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, following a closed-door GOP meeting, to announce that House Republicans will advance legislation to temporarily extend the government's ability to borrow money to meet its financial obligations. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013, after a closed-door GOP meeting to announce that House Republicans will advance legislation to temporarily extend the government's ability to borrow money to meet its financial obligations. Boehner said the measure would advance if President Barack Obama agrees to negotiate over reopening the government and to "start to deal with America's pressing problems." The federal government remains partially shut down for a 10th day and faces a first-ever default between Oct. 17 and the end of the month. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks during a news conference on the ongoing budget battle outside his office on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, pauses during a news conference on the ongoing budget battle outside his office on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013 in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, makes a statement outside his office to respond to President Barack Obama, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013, at the Capitol in Washington. President Barack Obama says he told House Speaker John Boehner hes willing to negotiate with Republicans on their priorities, but not under the threat of economic chaos. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) leaves a meeting of the House Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol October 8, 2013 in Washington, D.C. The U.S. government shutdown is entering its eighth day as the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives remain gridlocked on funding the federal government. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Oct. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio walks to a Republican strategy session on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, demands that the White House and congressional Democrats negotiate with congressional Republicans about ways to re-open the government and address criticisms of the nations new health care law, Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) leaves the White House after a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi about the government shutdown on October 2, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner (C) speaks to the media following a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C., October 2, 2013, on the second day of the government shutdown. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio walks to a House Republican Conference meeting to discuss the ongoing budget fight, Monday, Sept. 30, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R- Ohio, pauses during a news conference after a House Republican Conference meeting about the ongoing budget fight on Capitol Hill on Monday, Sept. 30, 2013 in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner speaks to the press at the US Capitol in Washington on October 1, 2013. The White House budget director late September 30, 2013 ordered federal agencies to begin closing down after Congress failed to pass a budget to avert a government shutdown. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, with House GOP leaders, speaks briefly to reporters, just after 1am, Tuesday morning, Oct. 1, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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U.S. House Speaker John Boehner speaks to the press at the US Capitol in Washington on October 1, 2013. The White House budget director late September 30, 2013 ordered federal agencies to begin closing down after Congress failed to pass a budget to avert a government shutdown. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R- Ohio, pauses during a news conference after a House Republican Conference meeting about the ongoing budget fight on Capitol Hill on Monday, Sept. 30, 2013 in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) (credit:AP)
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U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner listens to House Republican colleagues speak at a press conference about the budget at the U.S. Capitol September 26, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, talks to reporters about the looming deadline to fund the government and the fight among House Republicans, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2013 file photo, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks during a news conference about budget negotiations on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (credit:AP)
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FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2013, file photo House Speaker, Republican John Boehner of Ohio, takes questions from reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference on budget negotiations as Congress prepares to leave Washington for a five-week recess. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (credit:AP)
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FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2013 file photo, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington about the budget. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio pauses as he takes reporters' questions on NSA leaker Edward Snowden, the economy, and the unfinished work of the House in passing a spending bill, as Congress prepares to leave for a five-week recess, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 that included talk about budget negotiations. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (credit:AP)
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