75% Of Republicans Want Trump To Play Big Role In GOP, Quinnipiac Poll Finds

Two days after the U.S. Senate voted to acquit former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, three-quarters of Republicans say, 75 - 21 percent, that they would like to see Trump play a prominent role in the Republican Party, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of 1,056 adults released today.

Overall, Americans say 60 - 34 percent that they do not want Trump to play a prominent role in the Republican Party. Democrats say 96 - 3 percent and independents say 61 - 32 percent they do not want to see Trump playing a prominent role in the GOP.

A majority of Americans, 55 - 43 percent, say Trump should not be allowed to hold elected office in the future. Republicans say 87 - 11 percent that Trump should be allowed to hold elected office in the future.

"He may be down, but he is certainly not out of favor with the GOP. Twice impeached, vilified by Democrats in the trial, and virtually silenced by social media... despite it all, Donald Trump keeps a solid foothold in the Republican Party," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

SENATE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

After the Senate began conducting the impeachment trial, Americans were asked between February 11th and 14th whether they support or oppose convicting Trump. About half of Americans say 51 - 44 percent that they support convicting Trump. Democrats say 92 - 6 percent they support conviction, independents are divided with 50 percent supporting conviction and 44 percent opposing, while Republicans say 89 - 9 percent they oppose convicting Trump.

"The history books may recount the Senate choosing not to deliver a lethal blow to Trump's political career. But the second paragraph may well underscore the voting public's willingness to let that happen," added Malloy.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR VIOLENCE

More than half of Americans, 54 - 43 percent, hold the view that Trump is responsible for inciting violence against the government of the United States. When asked a follow-up question: 45 percent of Americans believe Trump is responsible and should face criminal charges, while 6 percent believe he is responsible but should not face criminal charges, and 43 percent say Trump is not responsible for inciting violence.

The public is divided about censuring former President Trump in the U.S. Senate for his actions after the 2020 presidential election, as 44 percent support it, 44 percent oppose, and 12 percent didn't offer an opinion.

Americans were asked whether they think individuals would have still stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th even if Donald Trump had not spent months talking about how the 2020 presidential election was stolen; 55 percent say "no," while 37 percent say "yes."

Americans were also asked whether they think individuals would have still stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6th even if Donald Trump hadn't addressed them at a rally shortly beforehand; 49 percent say "no," while 43 percent say "yes."

TRUMP ON JANUARY 6th

Nearly 7 out of 10 Americans (68 percent) think that Donald Trump did not do everything he could to stop the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, while 25 percent say he did do everything he could to stop it.

Republicans say 56 - 34 percent that Trump did everything he could to stop the insurrection. Democrats say 94 - 6 percent and independents say 70 - 23 percent that he did not do everything he could to stop the insurrection.

"Did the former president drop the ball on controlling the insurrection? Most assuredly, say the majority of Americans, fresh off hearings that brought visual proof of the mayhem on January 6th," added Malloy.

More than half of Americans (57 percent) say they think that extremism in the United States is growing since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, only 4 percent say it's subsiding, and 34 percent say it's staying the same. The responses were similar among all listed demographic groups.

TRUMP AND THE 2020 ELECTION

Half of Americans (50 percent) say former President Trump deliberately spread false information that there was widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, while roughly four in ten Americans (42 percent) say that Trump truly believed there was widespread voter fraud.

1,056 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from February 11th - 14th with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

See table here: https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3691