WASHINGTON (TND) — From restaurants to gyms, businesses and cities across the country have been issuing vaccine mandates, which has received some backlash nationwide.

But making even more waves: vaccine mandates for nearly 85 million private-sector employees. It’s something that is sure to be a major topic in the 2022 midterms.

“We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin. This refusal has cost all of us,” President Joe Biden said back in September as he outlined his plans to implement the COVID vaccine mandate, which would require tens of millions of private-sector employees to get vaccinated or be tested on a weekly basis.

The issue made its way to the Supreme Court Friday, where the justices heard arguments challenging the Biden administration.

There are 27 Republican-led states arguing that the federal government does not have the constitutional authority to issue this kind of rate.

“If you’re going to have a government that can force you to do this, then we don't have a Constitution. Constitutional rights do matter and the process matters. The legislature needs to take this up, not the president,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said.

A recent Axios poll shows that 54% of Americans say they support employers requiring all employees to be vaccinated with 30% of Republicans and 78% of Democrats in favor.

But how much of an issue could this actually be in this year's midterm elections?

Professor Todd Belt with George Washington University says the Republican Party will likely take the issue and run with it.

“They got a bit of a playbook from what happened in Virginia and New Jersey in the past off-year election. And that had to do a lot with social issues but also with the school reopenings,” Belt said.

Republican Ohio Senate candidate Jane Timken has been outspoken on education and virtual learning.

“The solution is to talk to the teacher's unions and tell them enough is enough. They should not have the power, the parents had should have the power,” Timken says.

Democrats, though, are taking a different approach. They are focusing on issues like voting rights, their legislative accomplishments and former President Donald Trump — while the concern over mandates could prove to be where the energy is for the GOP base.

“We know that for the Republicans, their base is very heavily in support of Donald Trump very much against vaccine mandates, very much against masking and this can be one of those issues that can really galvanize them and get them out to the polls,” Belt said.