Do 60 Percent of Republicans Support the $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Package?

It depends on which poll you read.

By Alec Dent

Mar 12, 2021

On Thursday, Rep. Ilhan Omar claimed that nearly 60 percent of Republicans support the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act that Joe Biden signed into law earlier in the day.

Congresswoman @IlhanMN re COVID relief bill: “Nearly 60% of Republicans outside of the Capitol support it nearly 90% of Democrats outside the Capitol support it. And I think that's the conversation that we need to continue to have is to remind people that the center… (1/2) pic.twitter.com/gG9JopaKwj
— Haley Talbot (@haleytalbotcnn) March 11, 2021

Omar’s senior communications director, Jeremy Slevin, told The Dispatch Fact Check that the basis for Omar’s comments is a Morning Consult poll conducted from March 6-8. Morning Consult found that 29 percent of Republicans strongly supported and 30 percent somewhat supported “the coronavirus aid package that includes up to $1,400 in direct payments to some Americans, funding for schools and local governments and an extension of increased unemployment benefits.”

The $1.9 trillion bill included far more than just the provisions Morning Consult asked about, including $350 billion in funds for state governments, a further $25 billion for restaurants, and an increased child tax credit.

Another recent survey of Americans performed by Pew Research from March 1 to March 7 asked respondents: “As you may know, in response to the coronavirus outbreak Congress is currently considering a bill proposed by the Biden administration that would provide $1.9 trillion in economic aid to businesses, individuals and state and local governments.” This survey found a significantly lower amount of support on the right, with only 41 percent of Republicans and those who lean Republican expressing support for the bill.

Yet another poll, this one from Monmouth University, found support for the coronavirus relief package among Republicans to be only 33 percent, with 11 strongly supporting and 22 percent somewhat supporting “a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan in response to the coronavirus pandemic.” This survey was conducted from February 25 to March 1.

A CNN poll performed by SRRS between March 3 and March 8 found fluctuating support among Republicans based on different aspects of the coronavirus relief package, with 73 percent of Republicans supporting “policies in the bill that would provide larger tax credits for families and make them easier for low-income households to claim” while only 55 percent of Republicans supported “sending stimulus checks worth up to $1,400 per person to most families and individuals.” Only 28 percent of Republicans said they supported “providing $350 billion in aid to state and local governments.”

Rep. Omar is correct that the Morning Consult poll indicates that about 60 percent of Republicans support the relief package. Other polling, however, suggests much less enthusiasm for the $1.9 trillion legislation among Republicans.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.