Poll shows 58 percent of Americans want to keep ObamaCare

As Republicans face a cascade of criticism from fellow conservatives over their new American Health Care Act, a Monmouth University poll released Tuesday suggested a majority of Americans don't want Republicans' ObamaCare replacement plan anyway. The poll, conducted right before Congressional Republicans unveiled their long-awaited health-care proposal Monday night, revealed 58 percent of Americans don't want to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Of that percentage, 51 percent said they want to keep the ACA and "work to improve it," while 7 percent said they "want to keep the ACA entirely intact."

On the other hand, just 39 percent want to see ObamaCare repealed. Thirty-one percent want the ACA repealed provided a replacement act is ready to go, while just 8 percent are comfortable with a repeal without a replacement.

Americans' tepid attitude towards the GOP's repeal and replace plan — coupled with criticism from Republican lawmakers and conservative advocacy groups — could pose problems for the American Health Care Act's passage. "People on opposite sides of this issue are strongly attached to their position on the ACA," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. "Early reviews of the Republican draft plan suggest that it might not do enough to either retain or repeal it, which may leave all sides disappointed."

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The poll was conducted by phone from March 2 to 5 among 801 adults. Its margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.