POLITICO: Republicans On Biden’s Covid Bill: We Bungled This One
CBS News: At Odds With National Republicans, GOP Mayors Welcome Long-Awaited COVID Relief
Politico/Morning Consult: 69 Percent Of Independents And 44 Percent Of Republicans Support The American Rescue Plan
DC Republicans’ blind opposition to President Biden’s landmark American Rescue Plan (ARP) is becoming a huge political problem for them, as many are realizing their vote against direct checks, health care benefits and more shots in arms is at odds with their voters and even GOP state officials. Not a single Republican lawmaker voted for the historic bill, and now that it’s clear voters of both parties overwhelmingly support it, many are realizing how badly they botched their response and just how unpopular their vote against the bill truly is.
While DC GOP lawmakers continuously doubled down on their opposition to the ARP, state and local Republicans, including mayors from across the country, have voiced support for the bill and embraced the long awaited relief to give Americans $1,400 checks and fund faster vaccine distribution, lower health care costs, faster school reopening, and help for small businesses to aid so state and local governments can avoid layoffs of essential workers.
There’s a simple reason Republican voters have embraced the American Rescue Plan: it’s desperately needed.
DC Republicans have admitted their utter failure to convince voters to oppose the American Rescue Plan
- HEADLINE: “Republicans On Biden’s Covid Bill: We Bungled This One.” [Politico, 3/17/21]
- Politico: “None Of The [Republican] Attack Lines Seemed To Resonate With Voters” Who Overwhelmingly Support The Legislation. “None of the attack lines seemed to resonate with voters, who began receiving stimulus checks as early as last weekend and appear overwhelmingly supportive of the law. A CBS-YouGov survey released on Sunday showed 71 percent of adults believe the American Rescue Plan will benefit the middle class more than wealthy Americans. The bill’s passage coincides with an uptick in vaccinations and recognition from Democrats and allied teachers unions that schools need to reopen soon — which together have the potential for improving the electoral landscape for Democrats as they try to keep both chambers of the Congress.” [Politico, 3/17/21]
Meanwhile, GOP mayors have embraced the American Rescue Plan, welcoming the much-needed relief President Biden’s bill gives to their communities
- HEADLINE: At Odds With National Republicans, GOP Mayors Welcome Long-Awaited COVID Relief.” [CBS News, 3/16/21]
- CBS News: GOP Mayors Are Emerging As Vocal Defenders Of The President’s Plan. “As President Biden embarks on his tour to push his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, GOP mayors are emerging as vocal defenders of the president’s plan as they prepare for an infusion of federal dollars to address financial woes brought on by the pandemic. The mayors, who represent cities of varying sizes, have split from their fellow Republicans in Congress who opposed federal aid to state and local governments. Instead, they argue the $350 billion in aid included in the American Rescue Plan is going to provide their cities with relief to help local economies bounce back, including by providing assistance to small businesses and boosting vaccination efforts.” [CBS News, 3/16/21]
- Arlington, Texas GOP Mayor: This Is Not A Bailout. This Is Needed Funds After A Natural Disaster.” “Giles and other GOP mayors are adamant that every dollar of the federal assistance their cities receive will go toward addressing the coronavirus crisis and reviving their local economies. But Republicans in Congress have opposed the aid because they argued it would be used to ‘bail out’ Democratic-run cities and states they say have mismanaged their finances. ‘This is not a bailout,’ said Jeff Williams, GOP mayor of Arlington, Texas, who was one of five mayors to meet with Mr. Biden at the White House last month to discuss COVID relief. ‘This is needed funds after a natural disaster, which is still going on.’” [CBS News, 3/16/21]
And polls continue to show a majority of Republican voters support the bill
- HEADLINE: Poll: 72 Percent Approve Of Covid Relief Law.” [Politico, 3/17/21]
- Morning Consult: 69 Percent Of Independents And 44 Percent Of Republicans Support The American Rescue Plan. “The coronavirus relief and stimulus legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden last week is earning high marks from voters, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. More than seven in 10 voters, 72 percent, support the new law, the poll shows — far greater than the paltry 21 percent who oppose it. Support is nearly universal among Democrats — 95 percent — and strong among independents at 69 percent. Despite the law’s earning no support from Republicans in Congress, GOP voters are split in the new poll: 44 percent support it, and 48 percent oppose it.” [Politico, 3/17/21]
- Navigator: 72 Percent Of Voters, Including A Plurality Of Republicans, Support The American Rescue Plan. According to a recent Navigator poll, 72 percent of voters support the American Rescue Plan, including 64 percent of Independents and 49 percent of Republicans, while only 39 percent of Republicans disapprove of the legislation. [Navigator, 3/17/21]
- Data For Progress: 69 Percent Of Americans, Including 54 Percent Of Republicans And 65 Percent Of Independents, Support The American Rescue Plan After Given A Brief Description Of Its Contents. “In our polling, we first asked likely voters whether they supported or opposed the American Rescue Plan after providing them with a brief description of its contents. Sixty-nine percent of voters support the bill, and we find this support holds strong across parties: 84 percent of self-identified Democrats, 65 percent of Independents and 54 percent of Republicans support the legislation.” [Data for Progress, 3/9/21]