Covid Quickens GOP Populism Tilt From Old Pro-Business Brand
- State business groups fight GOP over mask, vaccine policies
- Employers oppose Republican, Biden stances on their operations
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The conflicts between businesses and Republican leaders like Texas Governor Greg Abbott over vaccine mandates highlights the GOP’s shift from a pro-business, anti-regulatory party to one that answers to a populist base.
Similar disputes are playing out nationally as anti-vaccine politics have run into strategies by companies to operate their businesses safely and as they see fit. Abbott’s executive order issued Monday barring any entity, including an employer, from requiring a coronavirus vaccination puts him squarely in opposition to the plans of many Texas businesses. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday proposed a law to shield workers from dismissal for not getting Covid-19 vaccines.