Poll: Tennessee voters split along party lines over COVID-19, presidential election outcome and priorities – Chattanooga Times Free Press

NASHVILLE Tennessee voters are divided along partisan lines over issues ranging from the coronavirus pandemic to the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election's outcome, according to a new Vanderbilt University survey.

"Political partisanship is the ultimate factor shaping Tennesseans' beliefs on every vital issue of the hour the pandemic, the economy and the election," said Dr. John Geer, the Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science and co-director of the Vanderbilt-Tennessee poll. "The disparities in decision making between Tennessee Republicans and Democrats are at an all-time high, a signal to the new administration on the challenges that lie ahead to unify America."

The survey of 1,007 registered Tennessee voters was done between Nov. 18 and Dec. 8 and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.6 percentage points. Vanderbilt University's Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions conducts the survey twice annually. It is directed by Geer and Josh Clinton, the Abby and Jon Winkelreid chair and professor of political science.

Republicans "overwhelmingly doubt the validity of the results of presidential election," according to Vanderbilt, which says just 12% of Tennessee Republican voters surveyed said they were confident that national votes were counted fairly and accurately. That compares to 97% of Democrats.

Even when assessing the accuracy of the vote count within Tennessee, which Republican President Donald Trump easily won over Democrat Joe Biden, Tennessee Republicans had more doubts about the accuracy of the results than did Democrats. Poll directors said that finding suggests Trump's repeated attacks on the process extended into red states and his own supporters.

Just 15% of Republicans polled here think Biden is the legitimate winner, while 70% think Biden is trying to "steal the election," according to the Vanderbilt survey.

Meanwhile, 95% of Democrats told pollsters they think Biden is the legitimate winner. And 70% of Democrats believe Trump, who still hasn't accepted the results, is trying to "steal" the election. At the same time, 35% of Republicans said they don't think Trump should concede after the Electoral College certifies the votes, which occurred this week after the survey was conducted.

"In no other time in recent history have we seen voters so skeptical and dissatisfied with election results," Geer said. "Even those voters satisfied with the outcome remain concerned that the opponent is trying to steal the election. Such obstinance must be curbed or could result in a long-term decline in the public's faith in democratic institutions."

When vaccines to protect people from COVID-19 become available to the public the first round are being distributed this week 75% of Tennesseans polled stated they are likely to get vaccinated.

But more than one out of three Republicans surveyed 36% said they are unlikely to get the vaccine, compared to just 15% of Democrats, according to pollsters. That comes despite increased concerns and awareness of the coronavirus at the community level.

For example, 80% of registered voters surveyed said they know someone who has contracted coronavirus, a finding that is consistent in urban, suburban and rural communities as well as partisanship. And 66% are concerned that they or a member of their family will get infected, a rise of 6 points from Vanderbilt's spring poll. Concern among Republicans polled rose 17 percentage points from last spring's poll, going from 37% to 54%. Concern among Democrats remains high at 88%, up 6 percentage points from spring.

Sixty-two percent of Tennesseans polled believe the pandemic is now a large or extremely large public health problem, an increase of 34 percentage points across urban, suburban and rural communities since last spring. Among Democrats, 83% think the pandemic is a large or extremely large public health problem, up 32 percentage points from the spring 2020.

But only 47% of Republicans think COVID-19 poses a large public health problem, according to the poll.

Polarization also impacts socializing and travel plans. Despite raised awareness and concern for COVID-19, 32% of Tennesseans said they don't plan to change how they would normally celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Fifty-two percent of Republicans said they won't change their plans, compared to only 14% of Democrats.

Just over one out of every five Republicans surveyed 22% said they don't usually wear a mask or face covering in a store or public place where they encounter other people. That compares to zero percent of Democrats and 11% of registered voters who are independents. Vanderbilt officials say a zero percent finding is "rare" in polling and underscores the "dramatic polarization" on mask wearing.

But Republicans, Democrats and independents do share something in common. They are somewhat or very concerned that the pandemic has harmed student learning, with 87% to 88% worried it has diminished learning for students at the elementary, middle school students and high school levels.

"It's clear that Tennesseans increasingly see the negative impact of the pandemic on their communities, especially as an inhibitor of public health and a quality education for their children," said Clinton. "Yet there still remains significant, intentional resistance to the CDC's top recommendations to prevent the spread of the virus."

The latest poll found Tennesseans' confidence in the U.S. economy rebounded to fall 2016 levels at 53%, up from 35% in the spring. Confidence in the Tennessee economy increased from 51% to 67%.

But Republican Gov. Bill Lee is taking a first-time hit in his job approval ratings, which dropped from 64% in May to 57% in the latest Vanderbilt poll.

The governor has come under fire from the medical community and Democrats who accuse him of not doing enough to stop the state's spiraling COVID-19 infection rates and now rising deaths.

"Democrats' approval of Gov. Lee declined by a significant 22 percentage points, which likely reflects dissatisfaction with his response to the pandemic among Democrats and independents," Clinton said.

But he noted Lee's approval among Republicans remains the same as it was in May, saying the governor's support in his Republican base "remains strong."

Thirty-seven percent of Tennesseans surveyed, meanwhile, said the pandemic continues to be the leading priority for Tennessee state government, followed by the economy (28%) and education (13%).

But there's a partisan split there as well: 64% of Democrats prioritized the pandemic, education (13%) and the economy (8%). But 40% of Republicans surveyed cited the economy as their top priority followed by the pandemic (19%) and education (13%).

Health care was the top priority for 9% of Tennesseans polled, followed by infrastructure at 5%.

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.

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Poll: Tennessee voters split along party lines over COVID-19, presidential election outcome and priorities - Chattanooga Times Free Press