Poll: Most Voters Support Canceling Student Loan Debt

Most voters are in favor of the federal government canceling student loan debt, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Wednesday found.

The survey presented the following: “President Joe Biden has canceled more than $17 billion in student loan debt for more than 700,000 borrowers. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose canceling student loan debt?”

The question follows news of the Department of Education announcing “additional steps help at least 3.6 million borrowers move closer to debt forgiveness” and allow “40,000 borrowers to receive immediate forgiveness.”

52% of likely voters support Biden's actions to cancel student loan debt.

45% oppose. https://t.co/pCCmgAQbny#studentloanforgiveness pic.twitter.com/H8BaL2cCBs

— Rasmussen Reports (@Rasmussen_Poll) April 20, 2022

Overall, 52 percent said they support canceling student loan debt, and of those, 30 percent “strongly” support it. Another 45 percent oppose it, and of those, 32 percent “strongly” oppose.

Student loan debt cancellation is supported by 78 percent of Democrats, but 50 percent of independents and 65 percent of Republicans are opposed.

The survey also found that 57 percent, overall, support the Biden administration extending the “pause” on student loan payments through August.

The survey was taken April 14 and 17, 2022, among 1,000 likely U.S. voters and has a +/- 3 percent margin of error.

Members of the far left have continued to present the issue to Biden, who admitted early last year he had no intention of canceling $50,000 in student debt, to the dismay of many of his colleagues:

From the Biden town hall on CNN last night, this questioner asked about canceling $50,000 worth of student debt:

“What will you do to make that happen?”
“I will not make that happen.” pic.twitter.com/Y7auUT2YQZ

— The Recount (@therecount) February 17, 2021

However, he received pushback after making those remarks, forcing the White House to clarify that he would ask the Department of Justice “to conduct a legal review of his authority to act on executive action in conjunction with a policy review from his Domestic Policy Council on how executive action debt relief, if any, should be targeted.”

Still, Biden failed to act on the issue during his first year in office, despite routine pleas from Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Progressive Caucus leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), the latter of whom claimed that student loan debt cancellation is “racial justice,” “gender justice,” and “economic justice”:

Student debt cancellation is racial justice.

Student debt cancellation is gender justice.

Student debt cancellation is economic justice.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) April 16, 2022

Indeed, Biden has just continued to extend the student loan repayment pause, which will not resume until August. However, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last week that canceling student loan debt is “on the table.”

“So, between now and August 31, it’s either going to be extended or we’re going to make a decision … about canceling student debt,” she said during an appearance on Pod Save America.

On Tuesday, the Department of Education announced actions to “fix longstanding failures in the student loan programs.”