Most Republicans and independents do not approve of the latest indictment of former President Donald Trump for charges related to January 6, a recent Rasmussen Reports survey found.
The survey asked respondents if they approve of a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, indicting Trump with charges related to the Capitol riot, which took place on January 6, 2021.
Predictably, most Democrats, 77 percent, at least “somewhat” approve of the latest indictment, but Republicans and independents do not feel the same way.
Sixty-nine percent of Republicans at least somewhat disapprove of the new indictment, and of those, 61 percent “strongly” disapprove. Independents are also not on board, as 52 percent at least somewhat disapprove of the latest indictment. Of those, 40 percent “strongly” disapprove.
In contrast, 64 percent of Democrats “strongly” approve of the indictment over January 6 — a political agenda long hoped for by President Joe Biden. An April 2022 report from the New York Times detailed Biden’s longing for Attorney General Merrick Garland to take more decisive action. It reported that the president “confided to his inner circle that he believed former President Donald J. Trump was a threat to democracy and should be prosecuted, according to two people familiar with his comments.”
Despite the deep divisions across party lines, 59 percent of independents, 70 percent of Republicans, and 49 percent of Democrats believe it is at least somewhat likely that the Supreme Court will rule that the latest indictment is unconstitutional. Further, most independents and Republicans — 56 percent and 78 percent, respectively — at least somewhat agree with the statement that the latest Trump indictment “could not be more political,” as it “targets politics speech and characterizes it as criminal activity.” Only 35 percent of Democrats feel the same way.
The survey was taken August 3 and 6-7, 2023, among 1,164 U.S. likely voters and has a +/- 3 percent margin of error.
Trump briefly spoke to reporters following his D.C. arraignment last week.
“This is a very sad day for America,” Trump told reporters outside the Reagan National Airport. “This is a persecution of a political opponent. This was never supposed to happen in America.”
WATCH — “Very Sad Day for America”: Trump Slams “Persecution” Following Arraignment
However, recent polls indicate that the latest targeting of Trump is only helping his presidential bid, to the dismay of his Democrat critics. This week’s Morning Consult survey, for instance, found Trump not only leading the GOP field by 43 points, but his favorability jumped ten points over the course of one week.
Further, a recent NHJournal/Coefficient poll found Trump with a strong 34-point lead in New Hampshire, and that same survey found most New Hampshire Republican voters revealing that they would still vote for Trump, even if he were convicted of a felony prior to the general election or serving time in prison during the 2024 general election.
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