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Fatalities from COVID-19 are reducing Americans' support for Republicans at every level of federal office.

Christopher WarshawLynn VavreckRyan Baxter-King
Published in: Science advances (2020)
Between early March and 1 August 2020, COVID-19 took the lives of more than 150,000 Americans. Here, we examine the political consequences of the COVID-19 epidemic using granular data on COVID-19 fatalities and the attitudes of the American public. We find that COVID-19 has led to substantial damage for President Trump and other Republican candidates. States and local areas with higher levels of COVID-19 fatalities are less likely to support President Trump and Republican candidates for House and Senate. Our results show that President Trump and other Republican candidates would benefit electorally from a reduction in COVID-19 fatalities. This implies that a greater emphasis on social distancing, masks, and other mitigation strategies would benefit the president and his allies.
Keyphrases
  • coronavirus disease
  • sars cov
  • healthcare
  • mental health
  • respiratory syndrome coronavirus
  • emergency department
  • oxidative stress
  • electronic health record