Poll: Republicans don't mind masking but they oppose lockdowns and business closures

Recent findings by STAT and The Harris Poll suggest that while a majority of Republicans would seem to be amenable to a mask mandate under Biden's incoming administration, Trump voters are opposed to continued closings of non-essential businesses, bans on gatherings of groups of ten or more, as well as vaccination requirements.

Of the 2,002 respondents polled between December 11 and December 13, findings indicate that 75 percent of the public supports the idea of issuing a mask mandate, two-thirds of those polled said they would support a ban of gatherings over ten people, and 60 percent believe a Biden Administration should close non-essential businesses and mandate vaccination.

But the breakdown tells a story of divided opinion.

The Republican support for masks in public sat at 60 points, but dropped dramatically when considering gathering bans or further closings to businesses. Only 48 percent of Republicans answered favorably to the idea of limiting gatherings to 10 and only 43 percent agreed with the idea of closing businesses.

Democratic responses, by contrast, displayed a much higher willingness to continue shutting down the social and economic sectors of the country. A staggering 83 percent of democratic respondents said they would support banning gatherings of 10 people or more and 73 percent of them supported a renewed shutdown of non-essential businesses.

Where Republicans are willing to mask up, they do not want to follow the Democratic trajectory towards a second American lockdown.

Joe Biden has repeated stated that he will make a mask requirement a priority for his administration during his first 100 days in office.

"I'm absolutely convinced that in 100 days we can change the course of the disease and change life in America for the better," Biden said earlier this year.

"My first 100 days, I'm going to ask for a masking plan. Everyone for the first 100 days of my administration to wear a mask."

Unlike his stance on masks, the president-elect has stated that he is opposed to the idea of a vaccine mandate.

Support for mask mandates is in the majority across participants from both parties. Where as many as 90 percent of those who voted for Biden would support a mask mandate, the number of those who voted for Trump and who also support a mandate is also in the majority. Per the poll’s findings, 60 percent of participants who voted for trump would also support a Biden nation-wide order for masks.

Although numbers for COVID-19 have greatly increased in the past two months, support for a nation-wide mask mandate has actually shrunk since the summer. When compared to earlier polls, such as the one released by The Hill back in August, it’s clear that public support has dissipated slightly.

With 948 respondents polled over a two-day period in late July, The Hill found that as many as 82 percent of respondents would have supported a nation-wide mask mandate.