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Mixed Signals On Trump: Majority Says Criminal Charges Should Disqualify '24 Run, Popularity Is Unchanged, Leads DeSantis By Double Digits, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds

Americans 57 - 38 percent think criminal charges should disqualify former President Donald Trump from running for president again, if charges are filed against him as a result of multiple state and federal criminal investigations, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll released today.

Democrats (88 - 9 percent) and independents (55 - 36 percent) think criminal charges should disqualify Trump from running for president again, while Republicans (75 - 23 percent) think criminal charges should not disqualify him from running again.

Americans were asked about the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation of Trump. That investigation involves hush money allegedly paid by Trump to keep quiet an alleged affair with an adult film actress. Among the accusations reportedly being investigated is whether Trump falsified business records to keep the payment concealed, something his lawyers deny. Fifty-five percent think the accusations are either very serious (32 percent) or somewhat serious (23 percent), while 42 percent think the accusations are either not too serious (16 percent) or not serious at all (26 percent).

More than 6 in 10 Americans (62 percent) think the Manhattan District Attorney's case involving former President Donald Trump is mainly motivated by politics, while 32 percent think the case is mainly motivated by the law.

Republicans (93 - 5 percent) and independents (70 - 26 percent) think the Manhattan District Attorney's case is mainly motivated by politics, while Democrats (66 - 29 percent) think the case is mainly motivated by the law.

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans (69 percent) think Trump was mainly acting out of concerns for himself when he announced on social media that he was going to be arrested in New York and urged people to protest and "take our nation back," while nearly one-quarter (24 percent) think he was mainly acting out of concerns about democracy.

"Yes, say Americans, it was all about him and not the country's well-being when Trump proclaimed he was targeted for arrest. And, yes he should be forever banished from office if he is charged as a criminal," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

TRUMP & MAGA MOVEMENT

More than half of registered voters (58 percent) think Trump has had a mainly negative impact on the Republican party, while 36 percent think he has had a mainly positive impact.

More than 7 in 10 Republican voters (72 percent) think Trump has had a mainly positive impact on their party, while 21 percent think he has had a mainly negative impact.

Six in 10 registered voters (60 percent) do not consider themselves supporters of Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, while 36 percent do.

Nearly 8 in 10 Republican voters (79 percent) consider themselves supporters of the MAGA movement, while 18 percent do not.

2024 GOP PRIMARY

Given a list of 15 Republicans who have either declared a 2024 presidential run or are seen as potential candidates, Donald Trump receives 47 percent support among Republican and Republican leaning voters followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who receives 33 percent. Former Vice President Mike Pence receives 5 percent and former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley receives 4 percent. Of the remaining 11 listed declared or potential candidates, no one tops 2 percent. These results are largely unchanged from a Quinnipiac University poll on March 15th.

In a head-to-head Republican primary matchup between the two leading Republican candidates, Trump receives 52 percent support and DeSantis receives 42 percent support, essentially unchanged from earlier in the month.

"Is the raucous Trump political resurrection adrift? Not in the least. DeSantis appears to be treading water and the long list of 'wannabes' and 'could bes' are barely staying afloat," added Malloy.

2024 GENERAL ELECTION

In a hypothetical general election matchup for president, the race is neck and neck, with President Joe Biden receiving 48 percent and Trump receiving 46 percent among all registered voters.

When Biden is matched up against DeSantis, the race is also very close, with DeSantis receiving 48 percent and Biden receiving 46 percent among all registered voters.

Voters were asked about the honesty of:

  • Joe Biden: 41 percent say he is honest, while 54 percent say he is not;
  • Ron DeSantis: 41 percent say he is honest, while 40 percent say he is not;
  • Donald Trump: 29 percent say he is honest, while 65 percent say he is not.

The number of voters saying Biden is honest is a low since Quinnipiac University first asked this question of registered voters in March 2020.

The number of voters saying Trump is honest is a low since Quinnipiac University first asked this question of registered voters in November 2016.

FAVORABILITY RATINGS

Registered voters were asked whether they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of:

  • Joe Biden: 37 percent favorable, 56 percent unfavorable, 4 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Donald Trump: 36 percent favorable, 58 percent unfavorable, 2 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Ron DeSantis: 36 percent favorable, 39 percent unfavorable, 24 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Mike Pence: 26 percent favorable, 52 percent unfavorable, 18 percent haven't heard enough about him;
  • Nikki Haley: 21 percent favorable, 25 percent unfavorable, 53 percent haven't heard enough about her.

BIDEN

Voters give President Biden a negative 38 - 57 percent job approval rating.

Among all Americans, Biden receives a negative 37 - 57 percent job approval rating.

Americans were asked about Biden's handling of...

  • the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine: 40 percent approve, while 52 percent disapprove;
  • foreign policy: 36 percent approve, while 57 percent disapprove;
  • the economy: 34 percent approve, while 60 percent disapprove.

RUSSIA/UKRAINE

Two-thirds of Americans (66 percent) think a recent meeting between the presidents of China and Russia in Moscow will escalate the Russia-Ukraine war, while 12 percent think it will bring a resolution to the Russia- Ukraine war and 22 percent did not offer an opinion.

A vast majority of Americans (80 percent) think Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, while 12 percent think he is not a war criminal.

Thirty-three percent of Americans think the United States is doing too much to help Ukraine, 24 percent think the U.S. is doing too little, and 36 percent think the U.S. is doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

There are big differences by party.

Among Republicans, 52 percent think the U.S. is doing too much to help Ukraine, 19 percent think the U.S. is doing too little, and 23 percent think the U.S. is doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

Among Democrats, 12 percent think the U.S. is doing too much to help Ukraine, 32 percent think the U.S. is doing too little, and 53 percent think the U.S. is doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

Among independents, 36 percent think the U.S. is doing too much to help Ukraine, 23 percent think the U.S. is doing too little, and 34 percent think the U.S. is doing about the right amount to help Ukraine.

"Americans are alarmed as the grinding war in Ukraine produces a troubling partnership between Russia and China. And the consensus on Putin: he should join a list of reviled leaders facing prison or worse," added Malloy.

BANKS

A majority of Americans (55 percent) have either a lot of confidence (14 percent) or some confidence (41 percent) in the nation's banking system, while 43 percent have either not too much confidence (20 percent) or not much confidence at all (23 percent) in the nation's banking system.

More than three-quarters of Americans (77 percent) have either a lot of confidence (41 percent) or some confidence (36 percent) that their money is secure in the banks they personally use, while 20 percent have either not too much confidence (10 percent) or not much confidence at all (10 percent) that their money is secure in the banks they personally use.

1,788 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from March 23rd - 27th with a margin of error of +/- 2.3 percentage points.

The survey included 1,600 self-identified registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points. The survey included 671 Republican and Republican leaning voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.8 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.

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