By Michael Burgess & Larry Bucshon
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Democrats just notched resounding election victories, and
our fellow Republicans are right to worry about what the results mean for the
2026 midterms and the future of President Trump’s agenda.
Just a year ago, President Trump came within six points
of winning traditionally blue New Jersey and Virginia. But this November, both
states elected Democrats for governor by at least 14-point margins. Meanwhile,
a progressive Democrat won the mayoral election in New York City — the beating
heart of American capitalism — and in Georgia, Republicans lost two public
service commission seats that they had held for decades.
Republicans should take note of these shifts and work to
both excite the base and appeal to swing voters between now and the 2026
midterms.
That means keeping the spotlight on President Trump’s
wins for working- and middle-class constituents, like the One Big Beautiful
Bill Act that will save families an average of $2,900 on their taxes next year.
That also means avoiding unforced errors, such as recent
Department of Health and Human Services actions that refute sound medical
guidance and limit access to vaccines. American voters across the political
spectrum have delivered a clear message: Lower health-care costs, not health
protections.
Mixed messages on vaccine risks are undermining public
support for Republicans. Polling shows that Americans want clarity, options,
and the confidence to make the best decisions for themselves and their
families.
A recent survey from Fabrizio Ward — the President’s
chief campaign polling firm — found that 86 percent of voters, including strong
majorities of Trump and swing voters, think the routine childhood vaccine for
measles, mumps, and rubella is important. And nine in 10 voters said vaccine
approval should be based on scientific evidence and guided by trained medical
and public-health experts — again with broad support across Trump supporters
and swing areas.
A similar poll from the Partnership to Fight Infectious
Disease found that three-quarters of voters want the government to ensure that
FDA-approved vaccines remain widely available to all who want them.
Given this broad support, it is hardly surprising that vaccines
are one of the few issues where Democrats have a clear lead among voters.
Actions to impose limits and stoke confusion are souring voters on the GOP.
And beyond voter sentiments, the president himself has
unequivocally stated in the Oval Office that childhood vaccines “pure and
simple” work and that delivering misguided vaccine directives is a “tough”
stance.
Before we entered the House of Representatives, we spent
decades practicing medicine — as a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology
delivering care for mothers and newborns, and as a cardiothoracic surgeon
serving patients who face higher risks of infectious disease.
We advanced our mission as physicians to the halls of
Congress to galvanize public-health leadership, strengthen the nation’s
public-health infrastructure, and deliver meaningful improvements for our
constituents.
We know that Americans want, and expect, their elected
officials to help keep their kids safe. And if a handful of officials overstep,
the whole party risks blowback.
Historically, national vaccine mandates have stirred
controversy, which is why states, not Washington, have traditionally set these
policies. Keeping decisions close to the families they affect aligns with how
America’s public-health system functions best: by respecting patient and
parental rights and protecting personal choice.
Republicans can safeguard public health and their own
political fortunes by focusing on what matters most. Leaders in Washington must
continue to make daily life safer and more affordable. Parents and patients
want to know they are receiving sound medical guidance to keep themselves and
their children healthy.
Ignoring those basic principles will overshadow major
accomplishments and backfire next election season.
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