The House has voted to impeach President Trump. This was always going to be the result, but that doesn’t mean the public supports it. In fact, a recent poll suggests the opposite.
Less than half of the public said in a CNN poll that they support impeaching Trump. That’s a five percentage point drop from mid-November, when the House Intelligence Committee concluded its public hearings. Opposition to impeachment is now at 47%, and 50% said there’s nothing more that could come from the proceedings that will change their minds.
Another Gallup poll released today confirms this drop in support: 51% of Americans oppose impeachment, while 45% support it. Compare this to an October survey, when 52% of Americans supported impeachment and 46% opposed it. Trump’s approval ratings have also increased, though by a smaller swing.
There’s a chance these results could negatively affect the Democratic Party come 2020. This was a calculated risk Democratic leadership took when they made the decision to pursue Trump’s removal, and vulnerable Democrats up for reelection in swing districts will likely feel the fallout more than anyone else.
Impeachment, even after the Senate votes to acquit the president, will certainly define the 2020 presidential race. Trump will wear impeachment like a badge of honor, reassuring independent voters they were right to be wary of Democrats’ efforts to remove him. Democrats will accuse Trump of circumventing the rule of law and call on voters to remove him from office once and for all.
As of right now, it looks like Trump’s argument is winning.
