A recent poll conducted by Quinnipiac University found that a majority of Americans believe that former President Trump should face federal criminal charges in connection with his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. The survey, conducted between August 10-14, revealed that 54 percent of respondents feel Trump should be prosecuted for these alleged offenses, while 42 percent disagree.
Notably, independent voters expressed their support for prosecuting Trump on these alleged federal crimes by 20 points, with 57 percent in favor and 37 percent against. Among Democrats, an overwhelming 95 percent believe Trump should be prosecuted, compared to 5 percent who think he should not be. On the other hand, 12 percent of Republicans support prosecution, while 85 percent do not.
The survey also revealed that 64 percent of Americans consider the federal charges related to the 2020 election to be serious, while 32 percent do not. These views were divided along party lines.
The poll was conducted before Trump’s indictment in Georgia on charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Trump is also facing federal charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy emphasized the significance of the findings, stating, “Not only do a large majority of Americans regard the federal charges as serious, more than half of Americans think the former president should face prosecution.”
Regarding the impact of the indictment on public opinion of Trump, 49 percent of respondents stated that the federal election-related indictment did not change their view of him. Meanwhile, 37 percent indicated a less favorable view, and 12 percent reported a more favorable view following the indictment.
Among Republicans, 59 percent maintained their opinion of Trump despite the indictment, and 28 percent held a more favorable view of him. Only 11 percent of GOP respondents reported a less favorable view due to the indictment.
Despite the headlines surrounding the indictments, Trump’s support among potential GOP voters has remained relatively steady in recent weeks and months. In the most recent Morning Consult poll, Trump garnered the support of 57 percent of potential GOP primary voters.
The Quinnipiac poll involved 1,818 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.
