* First, some background from NBC News… Out of power and divided about their future, Republicans see an opportunity to begin winning back the suburban voters they lost under Donald Trump’s presidency by capitalizing on widespread frustration with pandemic life and directing it at an old enemy: teachers unions. […] Seeking to protect members, particularly older teachers, from contracting Covid-19, some teachers unions have pushed for no return to in-person learning until teachers can be vaccinated, while others have demanded additional safety measures — ranging from better ventilation to increased cleaning — before agreeing to a return. […] But the frustration over shuttered schools, kids being kept home and other Covid-19 restrictions are real and even some progressives say the unions are overreaching. (Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused them of wanting to “take over” not just the schools, but also the city.) And Republicans think they can channel that anger into a grassroots uprising to drive a wedge between suburban voters and the Democratic Party. […]