More Than Half of Virginia Voters Trust Joe Biden and Terry McAuliffe’s Push for COVID-19 Vaccinations
Who Do They Not Trust? Glenn Youngkin
Read the Memo and Toplines Here.
Virginia — Today, Protect Our Care is releasing a new poll by Public Policy Polling showing that the majority of Virginia voters support President Joe Biden and Terry McAuliffe’s COVID-19 vaccine policies, including their push for vaccine mandates both at the state and federal level. Additionally, nearly six in 10 Virginia voters (59%) support Virginia’s decision to expand Medicaid — a policy championed by Democrats. In response, Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
“It is outrageous that Republicans like Glenn Youngkin refuse to support the necessary steps to keep Virginians safe, but that’s why voters agree with President Biden and Terry McAuliffe’s approach to getting more shots in arms and ending this crisis. While Republicans continue their anti-vaccine, anti-mask, and anti-science rhetoric, Virginia voters have made it clear that they stand with Democrats to lead us out of this pandemic. Once again health care and coronavirus will dominate an election — and Republicans again are on the wrong side of these issues.”
From: Katherine Patterson, Public Policy Polling
To: Interested Parties
Subject: Virginia Voters Back Biden and McAuliffe on COVID, Support Medicaid Expansion
Date: September 20, 2021
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that a majority of Virginia voters support President Biden and Governor McAuliffe’s push for COVID vaccine mandates.
- 58% of voters support requiring teachers and eligible students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, while just 35% are opposed.
- 56% support employers requiring employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, while only 37% are opposed.
- 56% support mandates that require people to get vaccinated unless they have an exception for health reasons. Just 38% are opposed.
A plurality of voters (46%) also say they trust Governor McAuliffe more when it comes to vaccine policies than his Republican opponent Glenn Youngkin (38%). A further 53% say they agree more that McAuliffe is right to support Biden’s vaccine mandates for large employers and federal employees so he can combat the pandemic. Only 43% say they agree more that Youngkin is right to oppose Biden’s vaccine mandates and leave it up to individuals to decide.
Virginians also show strong support for the recent Medicaid expansion in their state.
- 59% support the decision in Virginia to expand Medicaid, while only 22% of voters oppose it.
- A plurality (44%) say they are less likely to support Glenn Youngkin for Governor after hearing that he opposed Virginia’s expansion of Medicaid. Just 24% say it makes them more likely to support Youngkin.
- Meanwhile, 45% say they are more likely to support McAuliffe for Governor after hearing that he supports the Medicaid expansion, while just 26% say they would be less likely.
Other key findings from the survey include:
- McAuliffe currently leads Youngkin by a 3-point margin (45-42), with 13% of voters undecided.
- A plurality of voters support President Biden, with 47% approving of his job performance and 46% disapproving. 7% are undecided.
Public Policy Polling surveyed 875 Virginia voters on behalf of Protect Our Care from September 17-18, 2021. The margin of error is +/- 3.3%. 50% of interviews for the survey were conducted by telephone and 50% by text message.