NEW POLL: North Carolinians Pessimistic About Coronavirus, Unhappy with Tillis’ Response

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

August 20, 2020

NEW POLL: North Carolinians Pessimistic About Coronavirus, Unhappy with Tillis’ Response

Tillis Seen As Out-Of-Step on Health Care, Too Close to Corporations and Special Interests

Gov. Cooper Earns High Marks for His Leadership

Raleigh, N.C. - New North Carolina polling conducted on behalf of Piedmont Rising shows that North Carolinians are pessimistic about the coronavirus pandemic and unhappy with Senator Thom Tillis’ response. North Carolinians also dislike Tillis’ handling of health care and believe he is too close to Washington special interests. Governor Roy Cooper earns high marks overall and for his leadership during the pandemic. Read the full poll memo from ALG Research here.

Tillis scores low on both personal popularity (37%) and job approval (41%). As the Senate creates even more economic uncertainty by failing to pass another stimulus bill, Tillis earns just a 37% approval on his handling of the coronavirus. However, North Carolinians are pleased with their state leadership: Governor Cooper sports a 58% overall job approval and 59% for handling the coronavirus.

Tillis’ repeated efforts to kick people off their insurance, end protections for pre-existing conditions, and raise health care costs have put him out-of-step with what North Carolinians want. Just 36% say he has the right priorities on health care, while 55% say Tillis sides with corporations and the wealthy, and 50% say Tillis does not share their values.

Pessimism about the coronavirus and the economy remains high, with nearly half of respondents saying they believe things will get worse on both fronts in the coming months. North Carolinians believe in exercising caution about reopening schools (69%), a sentiment that cuts across party lines with 92% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 50% of Republicans agreeing.

“North Carolinians know leadership when they see it, and they’re not seeing it from Thom Tillis,” Piedmont Rising Executive Director Casey Wilkinson. “During this on-going pandemic, there’s too much at stake to continue playing partisan games with North Carolinians’ health care and economic security. Tillis should start listening to his constituents and focus on bringing down the cost of premiums and prescription drugs, extending unemployment payments for struggling families, and putting ordinary North Carolinians’ interests over those of the wealthy and big corporations.”

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