Credit to Franken30 for "Weaponizing ignorance" theme.

Yes

Curious that any political party seeking long-term electoral viability would adopt policies that literally kill its own voters, especially in the face of a virus disproportionately impacting the older voters that form the GOP’s base.

Indeed, you’re 3-4x more likely to die from COVID if you live in a heavily Trump-voting county:

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/05/1059828993/data-vaccine-misinformation-trump-counties-covid-death-rate

It makes sense, however, when you discard the notion of the GOP as a rational actor, and instead realize the whole party is oriented around reflexive, knee-jerk rage and cultural grievance at whatever is happening at the moment — “freedom” at any price, consequences be damned.

The irony is this short-termism does much better at the polls than it should — but for how much longer? COVID is accelerating the very demographic changes the GOP has feared for decades.

It might not be so one sided. The well documented higher impact of Covid on minorities and poor communities shows that some populations which vote heavily Democrat are dying too.
I don't think that was a strategy or anything on the part of the Republican party. However, it would be amazing if that notion isn't at least a small motivator for some who push a no-mask no-vax agenda.