Category: Polling

New Daily Kos/Civiqs poll: Most Americans disapprove of U.S. Senate’s handling of impeachment

Posted on by Carolyn Fiddler

The best antidote to hot takes is hard data, and the February Daily Kos/Civiqs poll is here with your cure. This month’s survey of 1,543 registered voters was conducted online from Feb. 11-14 and reveals that 60% of Americans disapprove of how the U.S. Senate conducted Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. And with the Iowa Democratic caucus debacle just behind us and the Nevada caucuses imminent, 58% of Americans support eliminating the presidential caucus system.

Other noteworthy findings in this month’s poll include:

The majority of Americans (52%) disapprove of Trump’s job performance as president. Support for eliminating presidential primary caucuses cuts across party lines. Majorities of Democrats (68%), Republicans (51%), and Independents (54%) want to end the practice. More Americans rank George W. Bush’s presidency above Trump’s (48%-44%), but 91% of frequent Fox News viewers rank Trump over Bush.

Additional issues surveyed include support for continuing Trump investigations by the U.S. House, the Trump administration’s newly expanded travel ban, and support for the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.

February’s numbers unequivocally reveal that Americans feel the GOP Senate majority failed in its duty to administer the impeachment trial fairly.

This month’s survey provides additional evidence that frequent Fox News viewers are deeply disconnected from mainstream Americans. While 60% of all Americans disapprove of how the Senate conducted Trump’s impeachment trial, 68% of faithful Fox viewers approve. And while only 45% of Americans believe Trump is handling his job as president well, a whopping 93% of frequent Fox viewers think he’s doing great.

Civiqs is a survey research firm that conducts scientific public opinion polls on the internet through its nationally representative online survey panel. Founded in 2013, Civiqs specializes in political and public policy polling. Results from Civiqs’ daily tracking polls can be found online at civiqs.com.

America has spoken: A fair impeachment hearing requires relevant witnesses

Posted on by Joan McCarter

As Senate Republicans try to figure out a way to deal with the impeachment witness issue, perhaps how the American public—the people they represent—can help clarify. Because what they say, even among Republican voters, is that you can't have a trial without witnesses. They've been saying that since before the John Bolton bombshell that he has firsthand knowledge that Trump did the abuse of power. Let's just go through the numbers of voters saying witnesses should testify:

Quinnipiac (1/28): 75% overall; 49% of Republicans, and 75% of independents Quinnipiac (1/13): On whether Bolton specifically should testify—66% say yes; 39% of Republicans, 71% of independents Monmouth, (1/21): 80% support witnesses (not broken down clearly by party) Reuters, (1/22): 72% want witnesses, including 69% of Republicans CNN, (1/20): 69% want new witnesses, including 48% of Republicans AP/NORC (1/22): 68% want witnesses; including 36% Republicans ABC-WaPo 71 (1/24): 66% overall; 45% of Republicans, 65% of independents

Again, the majority of these are from before the Bolton bombshell, including a poll released from Navigator research Tuesday that had 82% of voters wanting to hear specifically from Bolton. That included 70% of Republicans, a number that would undoubtedly decline now that they know what Bolton would like say. Trials are supposed to have witnesses, that's fundamental to our system of justice. Everyone knows that. Without relevant witnesses, it's a cover up. Everyone knows that, including Senate Republicans however much they'll argue otherwise.