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US · RFK Jr's Make America Healthy Again initiative

KFF-AP poll: rural voters back MAHA but see little local health impact

A KFF-AP survey of rural registered voters found about half identify with the MAHA movement, yet most say Trump administration health policies have not helped their communities.

3 outlets · 1L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: KFF Health News
Image: STAT

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The story, neutrally told

A new KFF-AP poll finds rural voters support the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement but do not think it has had a positive impact on their lives. About half of rural voters identify with MAHA, but most said President Trump's healthcare policies have not benefited their communities. About 8 in 10 rural voters said the administration's policies have had a negative effect or no impact on the health of people where they live, as did 68% of MAHA supporters.

About two-thirds of rural MAHA supporters said it is extremely or very important to vote for a candidate who backs the movement, compared with 4 in 10 rural voters overall. Iowa State political scientist David Peterson said voters notice a "weird split" between what Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says and what Trump says and does. Healthcare costs worry more than 6 in 10 rural voters, including 80% of working-age rural voters on Medicaid.

Trust in Kennedy for health information was about 10% among rural Democrats and 74% among rural Republicans. The survey was conducted Aug. 12-24, 2026, among 2,241 rural registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.

Left1 outlet

Framing
NPR's short item leads with the poll's headline contrast: support for MAHA but little felt impact.
Emphasis
The gap between support and perceived benefit.
Leaves out or plays down
Provides no figures, methodology, voices or context on costs, Medicaid or trust.
For example
“A new poll from KFF-AP shows that rural voters support the Make America Healthy Again movement” — NPR

Centre2 outlets

Framing
KFF Health News, in a joint AP piece, frames it as an apparent disconnect between MAHA-branded policy and rural experience, ahead of midterms.
Emphasis
Poll figures, voter profiles in Iowa, Texas and Kentucky, healthcare costs, Medicaid, and trust.
Leaves out or plays down
Little direct response from the administration or Kennedy.
Charged language
“sprawling”“apparent disconnect”
For example
“The findings signal an apparent disconnect between the Trump administration's MAHA-branded policy priorities and rural America's perception of their reach and effectiveness.” — KFF Health News

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.