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Delawareans overwhelmingly support mask regulations, transgender protections

Delaware Public Media

The University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication released a new poll highlighting Coronavirus, politician favorability and more.

 

The new data shows 78 percent of Delawareans support laws and regulations requiring people to wear a mask in public during the Coronavirus pandemic.

 

85 percent of people also said they wear a mask all the time or very often when out in public.

 

UD’s Center of Political Communication research director Paul Brewer says this level of  support for mask wearing is similar to what he’s seeing nationally.

 

“There’s been national polls and I think our result is pretty in line with what the national polls have been showing. I did look at it and it’s very in line with where our results were. So I don’t think that’s shocking but I think it’s a pretty striking size for the majority.”

 

A recent Gallup Poll found 80 percent of all Americans say it's highly likely they would wear a mask when in public. And broken down by party - 74 percent of Republicans were highly likely to wear a mask compared to 87 percent of Democrats.

 

The UD poll was released Wednesday after a Delaware Gubernatorial debate Tuesday night, where Republican challenger Julianne Murray came out stringently against mask regulations, saying the state should re-open fully.

 

Gov. John Carney says he implemented the mask wearing regulation that follows guidance from state health officials

 

The poll also shows overwhelming support for protections for transgender students.

 

Brewer says that’s significant.

 

“I actually thought that was one of the more interesting parts of the poll because two years ago we found support for laws protecting the rights of transgender students, it was high. But it’s even higher now so there’s a pretty noticeable jump.”

 

The poll indicates support increasing from 75 to 81 percent over the past 2 years.

 

Brewer says that means it’s highly likely more protections could be coming through the state legislature in coming years.

 

During Wednesday’s UD/Delaware Public Media debate between U.S. House candidates, incumbent Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester reaffirmed her support for the LGBTQ community, while Republican Lee Murphy came out against further protections.

 

Both Carney and Blunt Rochester are seeing high smounts of approval from their constituents. The poll continued to track favoriability of statewide offices, and Canrey garned a 63 percent favorable to 27 unfavorable.

 

Credit Univeristy of Delaware

Brewer says unless there's a significant event before November, Democracts won't have a hard time keeping a hold of all of the statewide offices.

Roman Battaglia grew up in Portland, Ore, and now reports for Delaware Public Media as a Report For America corps member. He focuses on politics, elections and legislation activity at the local, county and state levels.
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