New Poll from Fabrizio Ward Finds Broad Bipartisan Support for Trump’s Crackdown on Illegal Chinese Vapes and the Smoke Shops that Sell Them
WASHINGTON — A new survey from the Protecting America Initiative (PAI), an organization dedicated to combating the threat of Communist China, reveals that the Trump Administration's recent crackdown on illegal Chinese-made vapes and the smoke shops that sell them has broad bipartisan support and that such efforts will be a winning issue for Republicans in swing districts during the 2026 midterm elections.
The poll conducted by Fabrizio Ward surveyed 1,000 registered voters across 28 targeted congressional districts and found that an overwhelming 80% of voters support stronger enforcement against illegal vapes made in China, with 65% saying they feel intensely supportive. Affinity for specific enforcement actions from the border to the smoke shops who are selling illegal Chinese vapes to minors is even higher.
The findings also show that Republican candidates running in these districts can boost their standing by 10-points by supporting these enforcement measures the Trump Administration is currently taking against these illegal Chinese-made vapes and the smoke shops that sell them.
“This issue moves Swing voters – those who don’t vote along party lines and decide close elections – and can put the Republican ahead in what is a very tight race to hold the House,” said Tony Fabrizio and Bob Ward in a polling memo. “The message from the survey is clear: keep up the enforcement activity and do more of it.”
Key findings from the poll include:
Major political impact: A Republican candidate who supports the crackdown gains a 10-point advantage on the ballot in competitive districts, flipping a 1-point deficit into a 9-point lead. Among swing voters, support for enforcement drives a 15-point shift toward Republicans.
Praise Trump administration’s crackdown: Of the voters who are aware of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal Chinese vapes, support is high — respondents view the actions positively by a 54-point margin and are voting for the Republican candidate by 23 points.
Widespread support for enforcement: 80% of voters back efforts to seize illegal Chinese-made vapes at the border and prosecute the criminal organizations running smuggling and distribution rings. Voters also support taking enforcement action against smoke shops who sell illegal Chinese vapes (63% support) and more intense support for shops who sell illegal Chinese vapes to minors (77% support).
Intense bipartisan approval: Almost 90% of Trump voters and more than 70% of Harris voters support targeted enforcement actions against illegal products and smoke shops that sell to minors.
Legal smoke shops are not the problem: Voters are not against smoke shops in their communities. They are against smoke shops that violate the law, hence the staggeringly high numbers of voters who support more enforcement against shops that sell vapes to minors and sell illegal products.
Survey Methodology:
Fabrizio Ward surveyed 1,000 registered voters in 28 targeted congressional districts. The margin of error is ±3.1%.
BACKGROUND:
The Protecting America Initiative recently released a six figure ad campaign highlighting the national security threat of Chinese-made medical supplies and polling that found 75% of Americans are concerned about importing Chinese medical devices, underscoring the widespread unease around data security and foreign control of health technologies.
PAI in September released polling that shows Americans support the USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan to protect U.S. agriculture from the threat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
PAI, in April, launched a new policy blueprint of actions Congress can take to combat the CCP at the federal level.
PAI in February launched a major digital ad campaign supporting President Trump’s tariffs on China for their role in the drug crisis that cost countless American lives.
During the 2024 Presidential Debate, PAI ran a six-figure ad spot across the seven major battleground states, calling to safeguard American manufacturing, food supply, and the Border from the CCP and hitting Kamala Harris for “opening the door to China.”
PAI hosted President Donald J. Trump in September 2024 at a roundtable with Pennsylvania farmers on the need to combat the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on America’s agriculture industry and food supply.
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