New polling shows 71% of Americans are opposed to President Donald Trump changing vaccine schedules. Now, a science advocacy group is demanding that Republicans running for Congress in Florida stake out different positions.
314 Action, which already endorsed Bale Dalton in the now open Florida’s 7th Congressional District, specifically called on Republican Ryan Elijah to “disavow Donald Trump’s anti-vaccine executive order, which calls for the MMR vaccine to be separated, based on no new scientific evidence other than the impulses of our alchemist-in-chief.”
The group signaled it will oppose Trump’s recent executive order discouraging the widely used vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella.
“Trump’s EO introduces additional costs and confusion to families who are just trying to keep their children safe and healthy,” reads a statement from 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton.
The group cited Public Policy Polling findings that 71% of Americans believe “Doctors and scientists should make decisions about childhood vaccines.” Just 14% agree with the statement that “President Trump should make decisions about childhood vaccines.”
Meanwhile, polling found that half of voters say they feel less favorable toward Republicans in Congress after hearing that measles — eliminated in 2000 — has seen an uptick in recent years. That included 45% of voters who view Republicans much less favorably and 5% who view them somewhat less favorably. About 22% view congressional Republicans as somewhat or much more favorably at the news of new measles outbreaks.
About 53% of voters view Republicans in Congress less favorably, and 44% much less so, when hearing the administration tied the new policy to long-debunked allegations that vaccines cause autism. About 51% say hearing that the recent order dismantled 30 years of vaccine practice made them feel less favorable about Republicans.
That was despite the polling sample being made up of 47% Trump voters and 46% supporters of Democrat Kamala Harris in the last election.
The polling notably hits as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. travels Florida. He appeared at an event in Clearwater on Tuesday with U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna and will do another public event in Tampa on Thursday with U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee.
314 Action made Kennedy central to its messaging against the administration policy, and the poll found messaging about how Kennedy and his family benefited from his policies against vaccines made 50% of voters much less likely to support the changes.
“Trump and RFK Jr.’s attacks on vaccines aren’t just dangerous — they are deeply unpopular. Earlier this month, 314 Action and Protect Our Care released a new poll showing that 76% of voters support routine child vaccinations and 71% say doctors and scientists — not Trump — should make decisions about childhood vaccines; only 14% say Trump,” Naughton said.
“Despite widespread opposition to Trump’s executive order restricting access to routine childhood vaccines and reports two more people have died from measles, vulnerable Republicans like Ryan Elijah have said nothing. Vaccine politics is the GOP’s greatest liability in the midterms and it is incumbent on every representative in Congress to do what’s right and speak up. Trump and RFK Jr.’s anti-science agenda has made Americans sicker and put millions of American children at risk of preventable disease.”
Elijah defeated Republican U.S. Rep. Cory Mills in a Primary last week. But Democrats have still targeted the district as a battleground in November.
314 Action said the polling will drive its messaging as it backs scientific professionals running for Congress across the country.
“The Republican Party is the anti-science party. If Republicans in Congress won’t stand up to Trump and RFK Jr., 314 Action will elect Democratic scientists and doctors to replace them,” Naughton said.
“In 2026, 314 Action recruited the largest class of Democratic scientists and doctors ever to run for office and made record-breaking investments this cycle to win competitive primaries and back strong STEM candidates in tossup races this November.”
Jacob Ogles has covered politics in Florida since 2000 for regional outlets including SRQ Magazine in Sarasota, The News-Press in Fort Myers and The Daily Commercial in Leesburg. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Events like SRQ’s Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Florida’s most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. He can be reached at [email protected].
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