Why Republicans need to take a pulse check on vaccines

By Former Congressman Robin Hayes

Robin Hayes served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1992 to 1996. He also served in the U.S. House as the representative for North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District from 1998 until 2009. Hayes was North Carolina Republican Party Chairman from 2011 to 2013 and 2016 to 2019. 

If Republicans want to stay in charge in Washington, they must show that their healthcare plan supports protection against preventable disease. 

This year, North Carolina will host a Senate race that promises to shatter spending records. The Tar Heel State is a purple state, with a Democratic Governor and a Republican-dominated General Assembly. The 2026 open Senate race will likely come down to the wire, meaning that Republicans and Democrats must fight hard for every vote. Whoever the nominees are, they will have to show that they care about immunization, which is supported by voters of both parties. 

Despite an intense national narrative, polling shows Americans overwhelmingly support  immunization to protect against disease. A huge majority of Republicans (78%) believe the benefits trump the risks of vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Over 60% of Americans express a high level of confidence in protection against serious illness with pediatric vaccines. 

This national support for immunization also exists in North Carolina. In a 2025 state survey, 69% of Republicans reported they “believe that vaccines are effective in preventing serious diseases.” Sixty-one percent of Republicans agree that “public health protection and improvement require vaccinations.” Across party lines, 66% “believe that vaccines are generally safe for use…63% of respondents agreed that vaccine benefits outweigh the risks, and 58% trust scientific and medical experts to provide accurate information about vaccines.”  Beyond sentiment, immunization is a core part of North Carolina’s business. The state is a hub for vaccine, gene therapy, and medication manufacturing that creates at least 32,000 jobs, per one expert. 

North Carolina parents support immunization because of the unprecedented scientific evidence that it’s both safe and effective. Measles immunization alone saved tens of millions of lives just over the last two decades.  

North Carolinians are also paying close attention to immunizations following a December measles scare. On December 10, a passenger with measles passed through Terminal 2 of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, prompting a public health alert. 

Yet because of immunization hesitancy, more than 250 people have been quarantined in Spartanburg, South Carolina, just an hour away from Charlotte. There have been more than 100 measles cases among the unvaccinated in South Carolina–a reminder that we need to stay vigilant even against viruses that were once considered eliminated in the U.S. It’s concerning to see voices on social media downplaying or denying the severity of diseases like measles or hepatitis B. Measles can cause encephalitis, “which often results in permanent brain damage," according to the CDC. Chronic hepatitis B still kills more than 1 million people each year by causing liver scarring or even liver cancer.   

HHS actions and recommendations have shaken trust in immunizations. In 2025, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. fired qualified members who sat on the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP). He overhauled the vaccine schedule in January to follow countries dissimilar to ours.  

This year’s elections are going to come down to a very small number of races—and control of the United States Senate could be decided in North Carolina. If Republicans want to retain control of Washington and continue to direct healthcare policy in America, then they need to show that they stand with key voters who support immunization. To continue the MAGA and MAHA movement, Republicans can’t afford to get the vaccine reality wrong.