Independent voters who heard Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s comments at a fundraiser that the 47 percent of Americans who don’t pay federal income taxes are “dependent upon government” have a negative view of statement, according to a new poll.
Twenty-nine percent of unaffiliated voters said the sentiment made them less likely to vote for Romney, with 15 percent saying it made them more likely, and 53 percent who said it made no difference. From Gallup:
The immediate impact of Romney’s comments appears to be more negative than positive, which suggests that the comments could hurt Romney’s ultimate chances of winning the election. Still, the long-term impact of any news event that flares up in the heat of a presidential campaign is difficult to determine. This is particularly true in today’s more polarized news environment in which audiences of conservative-oriented vs. liberal-oriented media outlets are likely to hear quite different interpretations of the flap, and from different commentators.
