Glenn Youngkin’s Anti-COVID Safety Agenda: Dangerous and Unpopular
Richmond, VA — As Glenn Youngkin espouses anti-vaccine rhetoric and opposes efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, he is putting himself on the wrong side of this critical issue. Youngkin is vehemently opposed to COVID safety measures the majority of Virginians support, and he is pandering to his far right base by opposing vaccine requirements for state employees and encouraging Virginians to fill out “exception” forms for non-medical, non-religious exceptions to vaccine mandates.
Just this week, The Washington Post’s editorial board slammed Glenn for his dangerous cowardice on vaccines, writing that:
“Both candidates are fully vaccinated. They surely know that the vaccines are safe, effective and critical to the state’s, and the nation’s, economic recovery. Mr. McAuliffe has said that, clearly. That’s leadership. Mr. Youngkin’s rhetoric is the opposite.”
Recent Virginia polling is highlighting how wrong Youngkin is on this essential issue. See below for key insights:
- Getting COVID under control is Virginia voters’ top issue. This is true for McAuliffe voters, undecided voters, and overall.
- On this top issue, nearly 60% of likely voters are aligned with Terry, favoring mask mandates and vaccination mandates in most settings in which they’re being implemented or proposed.
- Virginians are generally in favor of Covid prevention measures:
- They support an indoor mask mandate by 58-41
- They favor mask and vaccination mandates for schools by 59-41
- By 57-38, they support requiring all students to be vaccinated once the FDA approves vaccinations for children under 12
- 64% support allowing businesses to require their workers to get vaccinated if they work together indoors
- 62% disapprove of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s prohibition of businesses requiring proof of vaccination
These findings are consistent with recent national polling as well, showing:
- Over 70% of Americans are concerned about the spread of the Delta variant
- President Biden and Democrats are far more trusted than the GOP to handle vaccinations and combat the pandemic.
- A majority of Americans support mask and vaccine mandates
- Opposition to mask and vaccine requirements is “chiefly limited” to Republicans
Not only is Glenn Youngkin’s agenda dangerously reckless — it is deeply unpopular and yet another reminder that he is wrong for Virginia.
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