The July poll found many voters do not understand the law, while more said it hurt their finances than helped and Republicans struggle to sell it ahead of the midterms.
Almost half of Americans say they cannot explain the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed into law last year, underscoring a messaging problem for Republicans as they head into the midterms. A new POLITICO poll found that around two in five voters had heard of the “big, beautiful bill” but could not explain its features, while only 11% said they could explain the law in detail and about a quarter said they knew some elements. The survey also showed more voters saying the law hurt their finances than helped them. One in three said the measure had damaged their bottom line, compared with 8% who said it had been a big boost and 14% who said it offered modest support. One-fifth said they did not know whether it had helped them, and another quarter said it had made no difference. Republicans have tried to rebrand the package as the “Working Families Tax Cuts” and have promoted provisions including deductions for tipped income and overtime pay as well as Trump Account investment vehicles for children. But the poll found many Americans see the tax package as benefiting wealthy households more than the working class, a perception reinforced by outside analysts who have said the law permanently extended key parts of the 2017 GOP tax cuts while only temporarily providing some newer relief items. The findings highlight a political risk for Republicans in a midterm year dominated by cost-of-living concerns. The poll found only around a quarter of Trump voters believed the working class received substantial breaks from the law, while higher-income respondents were more likely than lower-income earners to say they benefited. Democrats have continued to attack the law as a giveaway to the rich and have criticized cuts to Medicaid and food assistance tied to the package.