US: Swing-state Republicans pin coronavirus fallout on Democrats

With legions out of work, Republicans across critical battleground states are trying to lay blame for ecomic wreck of coronavirus outbreak on Democratic goverrs, ramping up a political strategy that is likely to shape debate in run-up to presidential election.

In Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — all three swing states with Democrats in charge — state Republican lawmakers, after an initial detente, have grown fiercely critical of stay-at-home orders or business shutdowns imposed by goverrs to limit spre of coronavirus, casting m as work of overzealous, nanny-state Democrats.

In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, GOP legislators have gone so far as to try to strip Democratic goverrs of power to enforce restrictions on businesses.

moves all but igre fact that stay-at-home orders have been imposed by Republican and Democratic goverrs alike, acting on vice of state and federal health officials and guidance from President Donald Trump.

But it comes as some goverrs, mostly Republicans, are beginning to ease ir orders, and GOP, led by Trump, is attempting to position itself as defender of ecomy, even if it means taking health risks.

“We’re going to pressure this goverr. We’re going to get you guys your jobs. We’re going to get money back in your pocket!” Republican state Rep. Aaron Bernstine of Pennsylvania told a protest of hundreds of people Monday at state Capitol. It was one of several std across country in past two weeks, and ar is scheduled for Friday in Wisconsin’s capital.

In Pennsylvania, Republican state Rep. Russ Diamond, blasted Gov. Tom Wolf’s “lockdown,” while GOP state Sen. Doug Mastria urged protesters to “rise up” and “say ‘’ to tyranny.”

hard-line messs marked arrival of a more contentious phase in virus fallout — political fight over who to blame for ecomic devastation. Implicit in messaging is potential political disaster ahe for Republicans if jobs do t return by vember and Trump is blamed for unemployment.

Between Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, all of which narrowly flipped to Republican in 2016 presidential election and handed Trump his victory, more than 3 million people have filed for unemployment benefits, and ecomists expect that high unemployment will last well beyond vember’s election.

Before virus hit, Trump and his party h planned on running on a strong ecomy. new reality forces Republicans on ballot to just.

But effort to target Democratic goverrs has challenges. Right w, stay-at-home orders are broly popular with both Democrats and Republicans, according to a new AP-RC survey. And Americans have generally given higher marks to ir state government’s response than to federal response. Meanwhile, Trump’s approval rating has been stagnant.

“Some politicians who started off this crisis with more goodwill and higher ratings might be able to (avoid blame), but I don’t see where president can do that,” said Christopher Nicholas, a Pennsylvania-based Republican strategist.

But polling does find some growing impatience with virus restrictions, particularly among Republicans. In late March, 60% of Republicans living in states led by Democratic goverrs approved of ir state’s response. But new AP poll found that share h slipped to 49% in just three weeks.

In interim, Trump appeared to have shifted his focus from managing public health crisis to looking ahe to “reopening” ecomy. Goverrs have bro authority to impose and lift stay-at-home orders that closed businesses, parks and schools. White House has issued guidance on public health conditions that should be met before those orders are eased, but Trump has called on some of his supporters to “LIBERATE!” ir states.

Many in his party took cue.

In Pennsylvania, Republicans have complained about breth of shutdown and launched a flurry of bills designed to limit Wolf’s bro authority.

In Wisconsin, Republicans who control Legislature asked state Supreme Court to block Gov. Tony Evers from extending a stay-at-home order through May 26.

In ir lawsuit, Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leer Scott Fitzgerald argued that Department of Health Services secretary exceeded her authority by exercising “czar-like powers” that, if left in place, will devastate ecomy and leave Wisconsin “in shambles.”

Evers predicted more deaths if Legislature wins case.

“People die every day because of this, and more we screw around with it, more people die,” Evers said.

In Michigan — home to third-most reported deaths related to COVID-19 in country — Republicans have ramped up ir criticism of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Her order is an outlier, y say, and y want it amended to allow lawn care services, garden centers, construction projects and or business activity.

Like or goverrs, Wolf, Whitmer and Evers say y cant significantly ease restrictions until y expand testing and keep those infected out of workplace. y, along with some Republican goverrs, say y don’t yet have sufficient testing supplies from federal government.

Brock McCleary, a Pennsylvania-based Republican pollster, said goverrs seem to have vant right w in public approval.

But, he said, perspectives could change, and Trump and Republicans could benefit if voters look back at shutdowns and say, “Gee, t that many people died. Was it all worth it?’”

During Monday’s protest at Pennsylvania’s Capitol, Republican state Sen. Judy Ward was booed when she told crowd that it “frightens” her that so many people were standing shoulder-to-shoulder without face masks.

She also urged Wolf to reopen state in a “gruated way” and told crowd to be mindful of what scientists say.

But n she railed against shutdown.

“Do we need government to mandate that certain businesses close? ! Do we need government to choose winners and losers? ! Do we need government to mandate that we must wear a face mask?” she shouted.

crowd shouted “!” back.