A new poll shows that among all registered voters the desire to maintain Medicare the way it currently is peaks in Florida at 65%. Twenty percent of the voters in the United States in 2008 were 65 years of age or older. In general, the more Medicare is focused on by voters, the more likely they will support Obama in his re-election bid.

Medicare, the health program from the federal government for the disabled and elderly, has an uncertain future and is currently a hot topic in the presidential campaign between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

Since Paul Ryan was chosen as Romney’s running mate last month and is the House Budget Committee’s chair the topic has been on the top of the list for many. Ryan authored a proposal that would make Medicare more voucher oriented in an overall attempt to lower the deficit. The proposal has been considered bold, but politically risky given the popularity of Medicare.

Obama also faces problems with voters due to healthcare, but the attention given recently to Medicare has blunted the fallout from the healthcare reform law of 2010.

Romney has charged that President Obama raided the Medicare program to pay for his Obamacare. That criticism comes from the cuts of $716 billion in Medicare that resulted from the healthcare law, cuts that were previously supported by Romney’s running mate Ryan, but ones he now says he would undo.

However, because of voter distaste for the Ryan-like proposal, it appears that Medicare is having a positive effect with voters in favor of Obama. Many voters in Virginia who are over 60 years of age said they would vote for Obama because of the differences they have over Medicare with Romney.