Most Americans believe Biden acted ‘illegally or unethically’ in Hunter business dealings: poll

A majority of Americans believe that President Biden has acted either illegally or unethically in how he has handled the controversial business dealings of his son, Hunter.

Only 30% of American adults believe Biden has "note done anything wrong" when it comes to the business dealings of his son, according to the results of an AP-NORC poll released this week, while 68% believe the president has acted either illegal or unethical. 

Thirty-five percent of respondents indicated thy felt the president had done something illegal, while 33% said they believed Biden has done something unethical.

Broken down by party, 40% of Democrats believe Biden has done something illegal or unethical in his handling of his son's business dealings, with 58% indicating that the president has done nothing wrong. Of those that believe Biden has done something wrong, 8% said the president acted illegally and 32% said that he has acted unethically. Meanwhile, 96% of Republicans believe Biden has done something wrong, with 65% responding the president has done something illegal and 35% indicating they believe he has acted unethically.

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The poll comes as Republicans have launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden over his handling of Hunter Biden's business dealings, though most respondents to the poll indicated they do not approve of the GOP move. Only a third (33%) said that they either strong or somewhat approve of the impeachment inquiry into Biden, with 39% indicating that either strongly or somewhat disapprove. Another 26% of respondents did not indicate whether they approved or disapproved.

Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say they approve of the inquiry, with 67% saying they either strongly or somewhat approve compared to 11% who disapprove. Meanwhile, only 7% of Democrats approve of the inquiry compared to 73% who disapprove.

But a large percentage of the public has heard little or nothing about the inquiry, with only 54% of respondents indicating they are familiar with the current process. Of those who have heard about it, 49% of those respondents disapprove of the impeachment inquiry.

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Americans are split on which party is better suited to root out government corruption, with 19% saying their preference would be Republicans compared to 28% who indicated Democrats. Another 14% said both parties are equally trustworthy to root out corruption, while 38% said neither party should be trusted.

The AP-NORC poll, which was conducted between October 5-9 and sampled 1,163 adults nationwide, has a margin of error of +/- 3.9 percentage points.

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

New poll reveals huge gap in concern over Biden’s age vs. Trump’s in hypothetical 2024 matchup

A new Monmouth University poll released Thursday revealed a huge gap in the level of concern from voters over President Biden's advanced age versus former President Donald Trump's.

According to the poll, 76% of voters agreed Biden, 80, was "too old" to serve another term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, 77, despite the difference in their ages being just three and a half years. 

Of the 76% who said Biden was "too old," 55% strongly agreed versus just 26% of the 48% who said the same about Trump.

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Trump also edged Biden when it came to voter enthusiasm about their candidacies with 56% of voters saying they were either enthusiastic or very enthusiastic about him becoming the Republican nominee for president. Just 46% of voters said the same about the prospect of Biden becoming the Democrat nominee.

When broken down to just independent voters, 35% were enthusiastic about a Trump candidacy versus just 19% for a Biden candidacy.

In a hypothetical 2024 matchup, 43% of voters said they would definitely or probably vote for Trump while 42% said they would definitely or probably vote for Biden. 57% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Biden, and 56% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Trump.

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Biden's 42% support was down from the 47% a Monmouth poll found in July, and Trump's 43% was an increase from 40% in the same poll that month.

According to the poll, Biden's support from Black, Latino and Asian voters dropped significantly from the July poll, down to 47% from 63%. Trump, however, jumped to 33% from 23% in July.

Biden narrowly came out on top in favorability with 41% of voters viewing him as very or somewhat favorable compared to just 38% for Trump. 59% said they viewed Biden as very or somewhat unfavorable, compared to 62% for Trump.

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When it came to Trump's ongoing legal issues surrounding his response to the 2020 presidential election, 46% of voters said he committed a crime. Just 22% said Trump did something wrong, but did not commit a crime while 29% said he did nothing wrong.

On the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden, 34% said Biden should be impeached, 16% said Biden may have violated his oath of office but shouldn't be impeached, and 43% said Biden did not violate his oath of office.

Just 15% said they had "a lot" of trust in the House to conduct a fair investigation into Biden, 33% said "a little," and 50% said not at all.

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Concerning Hunter Biden's legal troubles, 27% said they made it less likely they would support Biden for president, but 72% said they would have no impact on their voting decision.

New poll reveals huge gap in concern over Biden’s age vs. Trump’s in hypothetical 2024 matchup

A new Monmouth University poll released Thursday revealed a huge gap in the level of concern from voters over President Biden's advanced age versus former President Donald Trump's.

According to the poll, 76% of voters agreed Biden, 80, was "too old" to serve another term, compared to just 48% who said the same about Trump, 77, despite the difference in their ages being just three and a half years. 

Of the 76% who said Biden was "too old," 55% strongly agreed versus just 26% of the 48% who said the same about Trump.

SUPPORT FOR BIDEN IN BORDER REGION CRUMBLING AS CRISIS BENEFITS ILLEGALS OVER AMERICANS: TEXAS' MAYRA FLORES

Trump also edged Biden when it came to voter enthusiasm about their candidacies with 56% of voters saying they were either enthusiastic or very enthusiastic about him becoming the Republican nominee for president. Just 46% of voters said the same about the prospect of Biden becoming the Democrat nominee.

When broken down to just independent voters, 35% were enthusiastic about a Trump candidacy versus just 19% for a Biden candidacy.

In a hypothetical 2024 matchup, 43% of voters said they would definitely or probably vote for Trump while 42% said they would definitely or probably vote for Biden. 57% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Biden, and 56% said they definitely or probably wouldn't vote for Trump.

FORMER DEMOCRAT OFFERS ADVICE FOR TEXAS MAYOR UNDER FIRE FOR DITCHING DEM PARTY TO JOIN GOP

Biden's 42% support was down from the 47% a Monmouth poll found in July, and Trump's 43% was an increase from 40% in the same poll that month.

According to the poll, Biden's support from Black, Latino and Asian voters dropped significantly from the July poll, down to 47% from 63%. Trump, however, jumped to 33% from 23% in July.

Biden narrowly came out on top in favorability with 41% of voters viewing him as very or somewhat favorable compared to just 38% for Trump. 59% said they viewed Biden as very or somewhat unfavorable, compared to 62% for Trump.

LAWMAKER DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER BIDEN OFFICIAL IMPLICATED IN IRANIAN INFLUENCE SCHEME: ‘UNBELIEVABLE’

When it came to Trump's ongoing legal issues surrounding his response to the 2020 presidential election, 46% of voters said he committed a crime. Just 22% said Trump did something wrong, but did not commit a crime while 29% said he did nothing wrong.

On the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden, 34% said Biden should be impeached, 16% said Biden may have violated his oath of office but shouldn't be impeached, and 43% said Biden did not violate his oath of office.

Just 15% said they had "a lot" of trust in the House to conduct a fair investigation into Biden, 33% said "a little," and 50% said not at all.

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Concerning Hunter Biden's legal troubles, 27% said they made it less likely they would support Biden for president, but 72% said they would have no impact on their voting decision.

Long-shot GOP presidential candidate Perry Johnson considering Senate bid in battleground Michigan

Long-shot Republican presidential candidate Perry Johnson isn't ruling out a run for the open Senate seat in battleground Michigan.

"Obviously, it’s no secret that I’ve had a lot of calls to run for this seat because they do want to win this seat. But at this point in time, my focus is right on the presidential [race], and, believe me, that’s taking all my time and energy at this point," Johnson said Thursday in a Fox News Digital interview.

The Michigan businessman and quality control industry expert failed to qualify for the first two Republican presidential nomination debates, including Wednesday's second showdown, a FOX Business co-hosted event at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Johnson now faces an even steeper climb to make the stage at the third showdown in early November in Miami, Florida, because the Republican National Committee continues to raise polling and donor thresholds the candidates need to reach to qualify for the upcoming debates.

PERRY JOHNSON DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS ‘TRUMP WITHOUT THE BAGGAGE’

Pointing to the polling threshold for the third GOP debate, Johnson said "4% is a big bar."

"When you’re an outsider, it’s very hard to get on the debate stage because, not only do you have to hit the poll numbers, then you have to have them [the RNC] say these polls are OK." He criticized the national party committee for not recognizing certain polls that don't meet its standards.

Johnson emphasized that, when it comes to his White House campaign, "right now, I think the plan is to go all in, in an individual state. If you’re not on the debate stage, that has to be the approach you take. …. The issue is to get to 4% nationally. 

"You can really only focus on one thing at a time, and when you’re running for president, it’s a full time for job."

POLITICAL PUNDITS PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS FROM SECOND GOP PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Johnson ran last year for the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nomination in Michigan and was considered a top contender before he and four other Republican hopefuls were disqualified because of invalid signatures. He has poured millions of his own money into his 2024 presidential campaign.

As Republicans aim to win back the Senate majority in 2024, they're eyeing Michigan, where longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow is retiring rather than seeking another term.

"As you can imagine, I get inundated with calls because of the fact that Michigan has an open seat," Johnson said. "It’s literally a seat that Republicans have not had in Michigan in a long time."

Former longtime Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who served as House Intelligence Committee chair during his last four years in office, launched a GOP Senate campaign earlier this month. Former Rep. Peter Meijer, who backed the impeachment of President Donald Trump, has formed an exploratory committee.

And Michigan State Board of Education member Nikki Snyder, businessperson Michael Hoover and attorney Alexandria Taylor have filed to run for the GOP Senate nomination.

Rep. Elissa Slotkin is the front-runner for the Democratic Senate nomination in a field that also includes actor and businessman Hill Harper, state Board of Education President Pamela Pugh and former state Rep. Leslie Love. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Democrat turned Republican ‘seriously considering’ challenge to embattled senator indicted on federal charges

Republican New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew is "seriously considering" a challenge to Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez, who is running for re-election next year despite being indicted last week on federal bribery and corruption charges.

Fox News Digital confirmed late Tuesday that Van Drew, a former Democrat, is looking at a potential run, but in the meantime "is focused on the issues before Congress."

Van Drew was first elected as a Democrat representing New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District in 2018, but left the party and became a Republican in Dec. 2019, citing the first impeachment of former President Donald as the final straw after he had been mulling a switch for a while.

GOP, DEMS TEAM UP TO RIP ‘DELUSIONAL’ SINEMA OVER ‘PLAN’ TO SWIPE THEIR VOTERS IN INDEPENDENT RE-ELECTION BID

Fox has reached out to the Menendez campaign for comment.

Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unsealed the indictment on Friday, charging Menendez, his wife Nadine, and New Jersey businessmen Wael Hana, Jose Uribe and Fred Daibes with participating in a years-long bribery scheme. 

At a press conference Monday, Menendez asserted he will be exonerated and will remain New Jersey's senior senator. 

LEGAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON MENENDEZ INDICTMENT, SUGGEST ‘MONSTER’ CHARGES POINT TO LIKELY CONVICTION

However, he has faced numerous calls from his own party to resign his seat over the indictment, including from Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Peter Welch, D-Vt., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J.

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Since 2018, as alleged by federal prosecutors, the three businessmen collectively paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes, including cash, gold, a Mercedes-Benz, and other things of value in exchange for Menendez agreeing to use his power and influence to protect and enrich them and to benefit the government of Egypt. 

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

Texas Senate to vote on AG Ken Paxton impeachment

The Texas Senate will vote on articles of impeachment brought against state Attorney General Ken Paxton at 10:30 a.m. central time on Saturday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced.

The jury of 30 senators, most of whom are Republicans, spent about eight hours deliberating behind closed doors since the Senate ended deliberations. A two-thirds majority is required to convict Paxton on any of 16 articles of impeachment that accuse Paxton of bribery, corruption and unfitness for office.

The vote could be a slow, public process. Each article of impeachment gets a separate vote. Republicans hold a 19-12 majority in the Senate, meaning that if all Democrats vote to convict Paxton, they would need nine Republicans to join them.

Paxton faces accusations that he misused his political power to help the real estate developer Nate Paul. Paxton's opponents have argued that the attorney general accepted a bribe by hiring Paul.

"If we don’t keep public officials from abusing the powers of their office, then frankly no one can," Republican state Rep. Andrew Murr, one of the impeachment managers in the Texas House, said during closing arguments. 

Attorneys for the bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton’s impeachment rested their case Wednesday after a woman who was expected to testify about an extramarital affair with Paxton made a sudden appearance at the trial, but she never took the stand.

The affair is central to the proceedings and accusations of Paul, who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson. One of the articles of impeachment against Paxton alleges that Paul's hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe.

Paxton's lawyers have cast the impeachment effort as a ploy by establishment Republicans to remove a proven conservative from office, pointing to Paxton's long record of challenging Democratic presidential administrations in high profile court cases that have won him acclaim from former President Donald Trump and conservative hardliners. 

"I would suggest to you this is a political witch hunt," Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee said. "I would suggest to you that this trial has displayed, for the country to see, a partisan fight within the Republican Party."

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Paxton was also previously indicted in June for allegedly making false statements to banks. 

Paxton, who was suspended from office pending the trial's outcome, was not required to attend the proceedings and appeared only once in the Senate, durinc closing arguments, since testimony began last week. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, sat across the room from him. She was required to be present for the whole trial but was prohibited from participating in debate or voting on the outcome of her husband's trial. 

This is a developing story and will be updated. Fox News' Danielle Wallace and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 
 

DeSantis says Trump’s age, like Biden’s, ‘legitimate concern’ in 2024 election

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that former President Donald Trump's age, like President Biden's is "a legitimate concern" for voters heading into the 2024 race for the White House.

DeSantis made the argument during an interview appearance on "CBS Evening News," telling host Norah O'Donnell that he thinks the Founding Fathers would go back and add age limits for elected officials in the Constitution if they could.

"I think that's absolutely a legitimate concern. The presidency is not a job for someone who is 80 years old," DeSantis said when O'Donnell asked if voters should be worried about the age of each party's front-runner in the race.

WATCH: SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN GIVES OFF, ANIMATED REACTION TO NEWS OF BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Biden, 80, is roughly three and a half years older than Trump, 77. DeSantis is 44.

"There's nothing wrong with being 80. Obviously, I'm the governor of Florida. I know a lot of people who are elderly. They're great people, but you're talking about a job where you need to give it 100%," he said. "We need an energetic president, and I think that if the Founders could kind of look at this again, I do think they probably would have put an age limit on some of these offices." 

He added that if he ended up becoming the Republican nominee and faced off against Biden as the Democrat nominee, "a lot of Americans … are going to want to see a generational passing of the torch."

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Although Biden's advanced age has been a consistent topic on the campaign trail, this is the first time DeSantis has directly addressed any concern over Trump's slightly younger age.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Trump and Biden campaigns for comment, but did not immediately receive responses.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

GOP presidential candidate says more evidence needed ‘to open full-blown impeachment’ of Biden

GOP presidential candidate and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says Americans want an investigation into President Biden's alleged involvement in his son Hunter's business affairs, but says more evidence is needed before House Republicans begin a "full-blown impeachment" inquiry.

Christie, who served as a federal prosecutor before winning election as governor in 2009, made his comments at a town hall at New Hampshire-based New England College minutes before Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced that he was directing a committee to open an impeachment inquiry into the president.

"I think there should be an inquiry made about what has gone on with the Bidens' business situations. But I think they can do that through their oversight function and have the DOJ [Department of Justice] special counsel that's been appointed now in the Hunter Biden situation look at that, as well," Christie said during the town hall, which was hosted by Sirius XM. "I think, yeah, they should."

WHAT SPEAKER MCCARTHY SAID IN LAUNCHING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

But he added, "I don't think there's enough evidence at this moment to open a full-blown impeachment on Joe Biden. And I think that wouldn't be smart to do."

House Republicans charge that the president — when he was serving as vice president in the Obama administration — profited off his son Hunter's foreign business deals. But the ongoing probes by the House GOP majority have yet to produce hard evidence linking Biden directly to his son.

FOX NEWS POLITICS: BIDEN IMPEACHMENT TAKES OFF

"If it got to the point where, as vice president, he in any way shared in the money that went along with that, I think that would be a really significant problem," Christie said. 

Asked if it would be an "impeachable" offense, Christie answered, "Yeah, I think so."

While Christie was on stage in New Hampshire — the state that holds the first primary and second overall contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar — McCarthy was talking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee’s investigation so far has found a "culture of corruption" around the Biden family.

"These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives," he argued.

McCarthy's announcement came as the House Republican leader faces increasing pressure from his right flank to get the ball rolling on impeaching Biden. 

Minutes after the Speaker made his news, far right Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida called the announcement a "baby step" and emphasized that "we must move faster."

Christie, speaking with Fox News after the town hall, was asked if the push by House Republicans will serve as an obstacle to the GOP candidates on the presidential campaign trail.

"Depends on how they do it. I mean, I think if they do a fair investigation into what's going on with Hunter Biden and what then-Vice President Biden was involved in or not involved. And I think that's something that the American people want to know. So they've got to do it in a fair way," he said.

The White House criticized the impeachment push by McCarthy as politically motivated.

"House Republicans have been investigating the President for 9 months, and they’ve turned up no evidence of wrongdoing…His own GOP members have said so…He vowed to hold a vote to open impeachment, now he flip flopped because he doesn’t have support… Extreme politics at its worst," White House spokesman Ian Sams argued in a social media posting.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Wisconsin Democrats launch $4M ad blitz targeting GOP lawmakers considering impeachment of new liberal justice

Wisconsin Democrats are launching a $4 million ad blitz over the next several weeks to target GOP lawmakers that are considering whether to pursue the impeachment of a new liberal justice. 

Justice Janet Protasiewicz's ascension to the Wisconsin Supreme Court created a new 4-3 liberal majority, jeopardizing Republican-drawn state legislative maps and risking the repeal of a 173-year-old state law that bans abortion. The statute became active again after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party on Wednesday launched a $4 million effort to pressure Republicans to back down from impeaching Protasiewicz. 

After investing nearly $10 million in electing the liberal justice, the effort is meant to protect what Democrats hailed as a major political victory. The new $4 million effort, which leaders said will grow to include other groups, will include digital and television ads, in-person voter outreach and a website that tracks where every Republican lawmaker stands on impeachment.

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"Politicians should not be overturning elections because they don’t like the results or the outcome," said Democrat Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard at a press conference outside the state capitol. "And we cannot let Robin Vos and Wisconsin’s Republicans get away with this unconstitutional, unprecedented power grab in our state."

"Republicans are holding a political nuclear football," Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler said, deeming the threat of impeachment had amounted to "political extortion."

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has been the most outspoken about possible impeachment, said the effort only proves that the party's and Protasiewicz's interests "are one and the same."

During the campaign, Protasiewicz spoke in favor of abortion and called GOP-drawn maps "unfair" and "rigged." Justices for the Wisconsin Supreme Court are officially nonpartisan, but the candidates have long aligned along partisan lines. Republicans have raised impeachment as a possibility if Protasiewicz does not recuse herself from consideration of two redistricting lawsuits filed in her first week in office last month. The GOP-controlled legislature asked for her to step aside from the cases.

Protasiewicz on Tuesday gave attorneys until Sept. 18 to react to the fact that the Wisconsin Judicial Commission, which investigates complaints against judges, dismissed complaints against her that alleged her campaign comments on redistricting violated the state judicial code.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES RULE STATE LAWMAKERS DO NOT HAVE EXCLUSIVE CONTROL OVER ELECTIONS IN KEY DECISION

A lawsuit in a county court seeking to overturn Wisconsin’s 1849 abortion ban was filed before Protasiewicz won the election. That case is expected to eventually reach the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The legislative electoral maps drawn by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2011 cemented the party’s majorities, which now stand at 65-34 in the Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate. It would take only 50 votes to impeach. It takes 22 votes to convict in the Senate, the exact number of seats Republicans hold.

If the state Senate moves forward to convict Protasiewicz on impeachment charges and remove her from her position before Dec. 1, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, would be required to announce a replacement. That person would face voters next April when the GOP presidential primary would also be on the ballot, the New York Times reported. 

Though there is not much precedent for an impeachment, the state constitution limits reasons to impeach a sitting officeholder to corrupt conduct in office or the commission of a crime.

The escalating fight over her seat has implications for the 2024 presidential election in the battleground state.

In 2020, the conservative-controlled Supreme Court came within one vote of overturning President Biden's win in the state. More fights over election rules that will be in place for the 2024 election are pending and any disputes over the winner could be decided once again by the state Supreme Court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Texas AG Ken Paxton pleads not guilty to impeachment charges after Senate advances case to trial

The Texas Senate voted Tuesday to deny all of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton’s motions to dismiss the impeachment charges against him, clearing the way for a historic trial.

Paxton had each article of impeachment read to him aloud in the chamber afterward Tuesday. Paxton's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, responded "not guilty" to each count.

House lawyer Rusty Hardin objected to Buzbee's interjections, but Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as "judge" of the impeachment trial, sustained.

"Absolutely not guilty," Buzbee said on the next count.

IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON SET TO BEGIN

Paxton, a close ally to former President Donald Trump who led several lawsuits in December 2020 to challenge election results in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, won reelection in 2022 but was ultimately suspended from office in May when the GOP-controlled House voted, 121-23, to impeach him on 20 articles that range from bribery to abuse of public trust.

Most of the articles deal with Paxton using his office to benefit Austin real estate developer and wealthy donor Nate Paul, prompting eight of the attorney general's top deputies to report him to the FBI in 2020. Three other charges date back to Paxton’s pending 2015 felony securities fraud case, including lying to state investigators.

Paxton faces trial by a jury of 31 state senators stacked mostly with his ideological allies.

The closest vote Tuesday was along a 20-10 margin.

Patrick ruled that Paxton cannot be compelled to testify. The seven Republican senators who voted against all of Paxton’s pretrial motions to dismiss were Pete Flores, Kelly Hancock, Joan Huffman, Phil King, Mayes Middleton, Robert Nichols and Drew Springer. 

Meanwhile, five Republicans – state Sens. Brian Birdwell, Bryan Hughes, Charles Schwertner, Kevin Sparks and Charles Perry – voted for some, but not all, of Paxton’s pretrial motions.

A supermajority of 21 is needed to convict, meaning the Senate requires at least nine Republican voters to convict, assuming all 12 Democrats vote to do so.

TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON HIRES PROMINENT LAWYER FOR IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

Patrick on Tuesday also went over scheduling for the historic impeachment trial. He said it would run from 9 a.m. until at least 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will not continue on Saturday this week, but it could run to Saturday next week. There will be 20-minute breaks every 90 minutes.

The lieutenant governor also emphasized rules that Paxton’s wife, Texas Sen. Angela Paxton, would not get a vote for her husband’s trial.

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The Senate was not immediately taking up the three charges related to the 2015 felony securities fraud case or a fourth related to Paxton's ethics filings in the impeachment trial, according to the Associated Press. Paxton had said he expected to be acquitted and that the charges are based on "hearsay and gossip, parroting long-disproven claims."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.