Vaccines have been available for lawmakers on Capitol Hill for months now, and most North Carolina lawmakers have taken advantage of the rollout.

Democrats and Republicans alike have gotten the shots, some of them posting photos on Twitter.


But at least two North Carolina lawmakers - both Republicans - have so far not been vaccinated, according to their offices. (Spokespersons for two other Republicans - Sen. Richard Burr and Rep. Dan Bishop - did not respond to emailed questions about the lawmaker’s vaccination status.)

One of those so far not vaccinated is Rep. Ted Budd, R-13th District, who tested positive for the virus in December. In a statement, his spokesman said Budd has antibodies and “decided to let other people get the shot before him.”

The other North Carolina lawmaker not vaccinated so far, according to their office, is 25-year-old Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-11th District.

Back in early January, he told Spectrum News 1 that he is “probably never going to take it.”

“I don’t think the death rate’s there for my age group,” he said.

While data compiled by the CDC shows the death rate is lower for younger individuals, another North Carolina Republican - Rep. Greg Murphy, R-3rd District - labeled Cawthorn’s comments “unfortunate.”

Murphy, who is a medical doctor and has been vaccinated, noted that if infected, young people can still spread the virus to someone else.

“If someone contracts the virus, they may be minimally symptomatic. But they still can transmit the virus,” Murphy said. “I think it's incumbent upon all age groups, all races, all political affiliations, to get vaccinated.”

 

Republican Hesitancy

Recent polls show that Republicans in particular appear to be more hesitant than some of their Democratic counterparts when it comes to getting inoculated.

For example, an NPR and PBS Newshour survey conducted in early March found that 41% of Republicans overall would not get the shot if it were made available to them, compared with 11% of Democrats. Among men in particular, 49% of Republican men said they would not get the vaccine, compared to 6% of Democratic men.

The poll was conducted March 3rd through 8th and has a margin of error of +/- 3.6 points.

Lorien Abroms, who teaches health communications at the Milken Institute at The George Washington University, labels the poll results concerning, noting the potential implications for life returning to “normal.”

“We're not going to get there without Republicans getting vaccinated, Democrats getting vaccinated. People from all walks of life getting vaccinated,” she said.

So, how is it possible to convince the Republicans to get the shot?

Some have called for former President Donald Trump to speak out, which he did Tuesday night, labeling the vaccine safe. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has pointed to doctors and members of clergy, believing they can help make the case.

However, Gavan Fitzsimons, who teaches marketing and psychology at Duke University, is not convinced these strategies alone will fit the bill. He argues people need to feel like it is their choice to get the vaccine.

“Give people individual motivation, and have them feel like they have agency or choice. If either of those isn't there, it doesn't work,” he said.

In other words: frame the vaccine as the key to getting back to normal. Motivate people with the chance at “normalcy.”

That is a message Murphy has emphasized.

“I believe [the vaccine is] safe. I believe it’s the right way that we get out of the pandemic, that we're able to throw our masks away, we're able to get back to life as we knew it a year-plus ago,” he said.

For his part, in a follow up statement, a spokesman for Cawthorn said the congressman believes that “each individual must make their own personal risk assessment in deciding whether or not to receive a vaccination. Rep. Cawthorn has been consistent in stating that he will never support legislation that mandates vaccinations.”