NBC First Read reports:

Now, 44 percent of seniors identify themselves as Democrats, versus 35 percent who identify themselves as Republican – a 9 point advantage – according to their combined polling for the first half of 2011.

Back in 2010, when Republicans won the House, they won the senior vote by more than 20 percentage points, 59 percent -38 percent, according to exit polls.

Additionally, yesterday, a new Pew poll showed that Americans are strongly rejecting the House Republican budget to end Medicare:

By a 28-point margin, Americans want to keep Social Security and Medicare benefits than use them to reduce budget deficits (60 percent to 32 percent). Independents share this view by a 15-point margin (53 percent to 38 percent).

Eighty-eight percent say Medicare has been either very good or good for the country – including 93 percent of Democrats, 86 percent of Independents and 85 percent of Republicans.

The Republican plan to end Medicare has cost them a special election in NY-26, a conservative Western New York district and led to voter backlash at Town Hall meetings across the country.

Voter backlash continues almost three months after House Republicans voted to end Medicare.