The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is likely that the amount of fraud in Minnesota involving federally funded programs is more than a billion dollars, including 35% who think it is Very Likely. Just 28% don’t consider it likely that the fraud in Minnesota exceeds $1 billion, while 18% are not sure.
Contrary to what Democrats and their media allies would like you to believe, the scandal that has rocked Minnesota probably signals that fraud is widespread in federally funded benefit programs nationwide, according to a majority of American voters.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced this week he would not seek reelection amid reports that Somali immigrants in Minnesota may have engaged in widespread fraud involving federally funded programs, including childcare programs. FBI Director Kash Patel said the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud involving federally funded programs nationwide.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters agree with that quote, including 39% who Strongly Agree. Only 26% disagree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud, while 13% are not sure.
Sixty-one percent (61%) have closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota, including 31% who have followed the reports Very Closely. Among voters who have Very Closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota, 79% believe the amount of fraud in Minnesota involving federally funded programs is likely more than a billion dollars.
Among all Likely Voters, 75% say they’re angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending, including 46% who are Very Angry about it.
Majorities of every political category – 78% of Republicans, 70% of Democrats and 77% of voters not affiliated with either major party – are at least somewhat angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending.
Significantly more Republicans (42%) than Democrats (18%) or unaffiliated voters (30%) say they have Very Closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans, 39% of Democrats and 50% of unaffiliated voters consider it at least somewhat likely that the amount of fraud in Minnesota involving federally funded programs is more than $1 billion.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans, 45% of Democrats and 62% of unaffiliated voters at least somewhat agree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud involving federally funded programs nationwide.
Majorities of every racial category – 76% of whites, 71% of black voters, 75% of Hispanics and 72% of other minorities – are at least somewhat angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending. Whites are most likely to Strongly Agree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters earning less than $50,000 a year are most likely to be Very Angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending.
Among those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 74% have been closely following reports about fraud in Minnesota, compared to 49% of those who voted for Kamala Harris.
The survey of 1,122 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on January 4-6, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
Contrary to what Democrats and their media allies would like you to believe, the scandal that has rocked Minnesota probably signals that fraud is widespread in federally funded benefit programs nationwide, according to a majority of American voters.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced this week he would not seek reelection amid reports that Somali immigrants in Minnesota may have engaged in widespread fraud involving federally funded programs, including childcare programs. FBI Director Kash Patel said the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud involving federally funded programs nationwide.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters agree with that quote, including 39% who Strongly Agree. Only 26% disagree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud, while 13% are not sure.
Sixty-one percent (61%) have closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota, including 31% who have followed the reports Very Closely. Among voters who have Very Closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota, 79% believe the amount of fraud in Minnesota involving federally funded programs is likely more than a billion dollars.
Among all Likely Voters, 75% say they’re angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending, including 46% who are Very Angry about it.
Majorities of every political category – 78% of Republicans, 70% of Democrats and 77% of voters not affiliated with either major party – are at least somewhat angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending.
Significantly more Republicans (42%) than Democrats (18%) or unaffiliated voters (30%) say they have Very Closely followed reports about fraud in Minnesota.
Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans, 39% of Democrats and 50% of unaffiliated voters consider it at least somewhat likely that the amount of fraud in Minnesota involving federally funded programs is more than $1 billion.
Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans, 45% of Democrats and 62% of unaffiliated voters at least somewhat agree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud involving federally funded programs nationwide.
Majorities of every racial category – 76% of whites, 71% of black voters, 75% of Hispanics and 72% of other minorities – are at least somewhat angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending. Whites are most likely to Strongly Agree that the Minnesota scandal is “just the tip of a very large iceberg” of fraud.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, voters earning less than $50,000 a year are most likely to be Very Angry about the amount of waste, fraud and abuse in federal government spending.
Among those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, 74% have been closely following reports about fraud in Minnesota, compared to 49% of those who voted for Kamala Harris.
The survey of 1,122 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on January 4-6, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. To see survey question wording, click here.
