Governor Charlie Baker has so far resisted imposing a statewide mask mandate in schools, including for students too young to get vaccinated. However, a new MassINC poll found that 81% of Massachusetts voters — and nearly 70% of Republicans in the state — would support such a mandate. In for Jim Braude, Adam Reilly was joined on Greater Boston by pollster Steve Koczela and by POLITICO’s Lisa Kashinsky to talk about it.
Kashinsky says Baker is weighing decisions that are intersecting with politics and public health.
“I think there is a chance that this gives him a nudge,” she said. “As much as the governor is a data-driven manager, and he’s known for that, he’s also mulling a third term right now and does need to protect his right flank if he goes for that… and also have to appeal beyond that to Democrats and Independents.”
Koczela noted that national polls are showing that 69% of Americans support a school mask mandate. If he did enact a mask mandate, what would it mean for Baker if he chooses to run for re-election? Koczela says it’s too early to tell. “This specific issue is going to evolve in so many ways. If the primary were tomorrow and he were to do it then it’s not going to be the thing that sinks his candidacy by any means,” he said.
WATCH: Massachusetts voters want a school mask mandate
