Forty-four percent of respondents in a new survey say their vote would not be affected if former President Donald Trump is convicted in the New York hush-money case.
The Politico Magazine/Ipsos poll found that about half of Americans believe Trump is guilty in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s hush-money case against him, where the former president is charged with 34 counts related to falsifying business records. Forty-four percent of respondents say if he is convicted in the case, it would not affect how they vote while 32 percent say it would.
However, a conviction in the hush-money case could weaken Trump’s support among independents. The poll found that 36 percent of independents are less likely to support the former president if he is convicted in the case.
Nine percent of Republicans say they would be less likely to support Trump if he is convicted. Forty-eight percent of Republicans say there would be no impact while 34 percent say it would make them more likely to support Trump.
The Manhattan hush-money case has been delayed to mid-April after new evidence was turned over to both parties. It was scheduled to start March 25, but Judge Juan Merchan will instead hold a hearing that day to discuss the schedule and the new documents.
Americans in the new survey also reject Trump’s claims of presidential immunity, with 70 percent saying they don’t think presidents should be immune from criminal prosecution over alleged crimes that took place while in office. The Supreme Court is slated to weigh the immunity claims brought by Trump in his federal election interference case on April 25.
The poll was conducted among 1,024 adults March 8-10 and has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.