Poll Shows Americans Split on Trump Impeachment Inquiry

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour Marist Poll shows the nation is divided on the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

The poll also finds that people are paying at least fairly close attention (63 percent) to the impeachment hearings, but fewer than one-third say their minds could be changed on whether they support impeachment. Among them, four-in-10 independents say they’re swayable, but just one-quarter of Republicans and Democrats say they are.

From what they’ve heard or read so far from the testimony and evidence presented, by a 47-percent-to-41-percent margin, people say they are more likely to support impeachment.

Half of people say they approve of the impeachment inquiry (50 percent), 7 percent more than don’t (43 percent), which is about where it was a month ago (52 percent/43 percent). But people are pretty much split down the middle on whether Trump should be impeached and removed from office, 45 percent/44 percent.

Many people think Trump’s actions were wrong–70 percent say it is unacceptable for a president to ask foreign leader to investigate a political opponent. But the question is, is that impeachable?

“Strictly on the merits of what has been presented, people think it is wrong for a president to interject a foreign leader into the United States’ electoral politics,” says Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, Director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. “The disagreement is on whether or not it is a big deal which warrants impeachment.”

With regard to 2020, 69 percent of Democrats say they’re happy with the field. Less than one-quarter say they’re not. And three-quarters of Dems say they still haven’t made up their minds on who to vote for.

Here are the poll’s key findings:

Impeachment

·         47 percent say evidence has made them more likely to support impeachment, versus 41 percent who say less likely

·         45 percent of Independents say the evidence has made them more likely to favor impeachment, while 45 percent report it has made them less likely to do so

·         65 percent of Americans say there really aren’t any developments in the impeachment inquiry that would sway their position, while 30 percent say new information can change their minds

·         30 percent who say they can change their minds includes 39 percent of Independents, 25 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of Republicans

·         63 percent/37 percent say they’re following the news about impeachment “very” or “fairly” closely/not closely or at all

·         50 percent of Americans approve of the impeachment inquiry, while 43 percent disapprove and 30 percent strongly disapprove

·         46 percent of Independents approve of impeachment inquiry, and 46 percent disapprove

·         49 percent believe the impeachment is a serious matter, while 47% percent believe it’s just politics, tighter than the 51 percent/46 percent last month

·         45 percent believe Trump should be impeached and removed from office, and 44 percent oppose or are unsure of either impeachment or removal

·         47 percent believe Trump should just be impeached without removal, 46 percent oppose

·         56 percent support protecting the whistleblower’s identity, 39 percent oppose

·         70 percent believe it is unacceptable for a president to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political opponent, and 22 percent think it’s acceptable, slightly up from 68 percent/26 percent last month.

·         29 percent of voters nationally say they are less likely to vote for their representative if they vote to impeach President Trump, while 19 percent report it will make them more likely to do so

2020

·         69 percent/23 percent Democratic voters and Dem-leaning indies satisfied/not satisfied with the field

·         75 percent still have not made up their mind in the Dem contest. That’s less than the 82 percent a month ago.

·         Dems have a 46 percent/41 percent advantage over Republicans on generic congressional ballot. Last month was +3D.

Among ALL registered voters, qualities people would be “enthusiastic” about voting for in a candidate:

·         71 percent Woman

·         58 percent White Man

·         54 percent Business Executive

·         53 percent Gay or Lesbian

·         52 percent Candidate under 40

·         38 percent Over 70

·         20% Socialist

By party, results show our two very different worlds …

Democrats and Dem-leaning Independents: Woman (83 percent), Gay or Lesbian (69 percent), Under 40 (62 percent), White Man (53% percent), Socialist (37 percent), Business Executives (34 percent), Over 70 (31 percent)

GOP and Repubican-leaning independents: Business Executive (78 percent), White Man (65 percent), Woman (59 percent), Over 70 (45 percent), Under 40 (37 percent), Gay or Lesbian (37 percent), Socialist (4 percent)

Trump

·         41 percent approve of the job Trump is doing, 51 percent disapprove (unchanged from 42 percent last month); 29 precent strongly approve, 40 percent strongly disapprove

·         39 percent approve of Trump’s foreign policy, 54 percent disapprove

·         33 percent approve of Trump’s handling of Syria, 52 percent disapprove

·         39 percent will definitely vote for Trump, while 52 percent will definitely vote against him (unchanged from last month)