Republicans are looking to harness a growing sense of broader pandemic fatigue as polling suggests independents are souring on government institutions, mandates and experts.
Spencer Platt / Getty ImagesIn Pennsylvania, a Republican Senate candidate bashes the federal government’s Covid response in TV ads. In Ohio, another promotes ending vaccination mandates. In Florida, the Republican governor criticizes the “flip flops” of the government’s top infectious disease specialist during the pandemic.
“The tide is shifting. ... Republicans see an opportunity, unfortunately,” said Aliza Astrow, a political analyst with Third Way, a think tank aligned with Democrats whose focus group findings have suggested that swing voters who helped elect Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Novemberand other Covid measures.
While Democrats’ messaging has focused on safety and shared responsibility, Republicans are trying to shift the discussion to elemental concepts of freedom and the economy, gearing the messages to businesses that want to stay open and workers who want to stay employed. Although many of the Democratic governors and state officials who were praised for the strict public health measures early in the pandemic largely eschewed mask requirements and resisted school closures as the omicron variant surged — Biden called for schools to stay open amid the wave —“The ever-present undercurrent is the economy,” Republican strategist Todd Harris said. “But if you really want a suburban mom’s head to explode, talk about keeping schools closed.
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