Overview

• An Aug. 26 memo by Republican pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Bob Ward found broad cross‑party support for vaccines like MMR, shingles, TDAP and Hepatitis B.
• The findings were presented to Republican Senate staff in a closed‑door meeting the week before Kennedy’s appearance before the Finance Committee, according to reporting.
• Pollster Bob Ward confirmed the memo’s authenticity to NBC News, and it remains unclear who commissioned the survey or organized the briefing, with the White House denying it requested the poll.
• Key results included two‑thirds of Trump voters supporting no‑cost vaccine access, 76% trusting doctors and nurses for vaccine information, and 73% saying vaccines save lives, while only 22% called the COVID shot important.
• At the hearing, GOP senators Bill Cassidy and John Barrasso pressed Kennedy on canceling $500 million in mRNA grants and firing a vaccine advisory panel and CDC Director Susan Monarez, with Republicans signaling oversight concerns.