Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama criticized some of his Republican colleagues on Wednesday for their refusal to wear protective masks at work in the Capitol, accusing the GOP lawmakers of setting a poor example for Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“I was waiting to get on the subway yesterday, and a group of Republican senators got off,” Jones, a Democrat, told CNN, referring to the underground people-mover systems beneath the halls of Congress that connect to the Senate office buildings.
“Not a single one of them or their staffs were wearing masks,” he continued. “I think that sends a wrong message. I would like to see the administration — the president, the vice president, whenever they are out, they need to be wearing a mask.”
Meant to help prevent the transmission of Covid-19, masks have emerged as an unexpected political flashpoint since early April, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began advising the wearing of cloth face coverings outside the home.
Republicans have generally been more reluctant to wear masks in public, while Democrats have largely encouraged their use.
President Donald Trump has contributed to the partisan divide, declining to cover his face despite his administration’s guidance and a recent White House directive requiring West Wing staffers to wear masks at all times in the building, except at their own desks.
But Jones argued Wednesday it is the responsibility of elected officials to model best practices and healthy behavior as the United States continues to battle an infectious outbreak that has devastated the national economy.
“I think we have to set an example. I’ve been trying to do that in my home state for the last six weeks or seven weeks. Set an example,” he said. “Try to tell people, ‘It’s OK. It’s not a cultural shock to wear a mask out in public these days, because I want to protect your health. And I want you to protect mine.'”
Despite the apparent split among senators on whether to sport face coverings, an overwhelming 71 percent of respondents in a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll published Wednesday say that when Trump and Vice President Mike Pence travel, they should wear masks in public places. Concurring with that position are 82 percent of Democrats, 70 percent of independents and 58 percent of Republicans.