Politics
Polling reveals 51% of voters think convicting Trump of a ‘serious crime’ is a ‘fair outcome’
By Jake Beardslee · February 1, 2024
In brief…
- Most voters say convicting Trump of a serious crime would be fair, but most Republicans disagree.
- Many poll respondents were unaware of specific charges against Trump.
- Convicting Trump could hurt his electability per the poll, with more Republicans wanting an alternative.
- Potential conviction leads to a rise in Republicans wanting another nominee option.
A new poll from Yahoo News/YouGov indicates that most U.S. voters believe convicting former President Donald Trump of a serious crime would be fair, but a large majority of Republicans disagree.
The survey asked respondents about Trump’s numerous legal troubles, including charges of obstructing the 2020 election and taking classified documents. It found 51% of voters say “convicting Trump of a ‘serious crime’ would be a ‘fair outcome meant to hold him accountable for his actions.’” However, 72% of Republicans say conviction would be “an unfair outcome meant to damage [Trump] politically.”
Many respondents were unaware of the specific charges against Trump. But if convicted, most said they’d see a candidate as unfit for presidency if convicted of election interference or mishandling classified information. Still, nearly all Republicans continue supporting Trump, with 79% backing him for the 2024 nomination.
Convicting Trump could impact his electability, the poll indicates. One respondent said: “In a scenario where Trump is convicted of a serious crime, those numbers flip to 39% for Biden vs. 35% for Trump – a 10-point decline for the former president.”
The article notes how it’s unknown whether “hypotheticals will pan out.” But it says among Republicans, desire for a “Trump alternative on the GOP primary ballot” rises from 48% to 56% if he’s convicted.