Rasmussen Poll: Trump's Georgia Indictment Divides Voters

A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, last week indicted former President Donald Trump and several of his aides on charges of illegally interfering with the state's general election in 2020.

Trump contested the results of the election that was won by President Joe Biden.

Democrat voters strongly approve of the charges against Trump in Georgia, but a majority of voters still suspect cheating stole the election in 2020, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports survey.

More than half — 51% — of all likely voters say it's likely that cheating by corrupt public officials in Georgia prevented Trump from winning the state, including 31% who say it's very likely. Forty-one percent say it's not likely Trump was cheated in Georgia, including 28% who say it's not at all likely.

In the survey, 55% of likely U.S. voters approve of Georgia bringing criminal charges against Trump and his aides, including 40% who strongly approve. Forty-two percent disapprove, including 35% who strongly disapprove.

Eighty-nine percent of Democrat voters approve of the Georgia charges, while 71% of Republicans disapprove. Voters unaffiliated with either major party are divided, with 45% approving and 48% disapproving of the Georgia indictment.

In a court filing, attorneys for Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, said the Georgia charges are "precisely the kind of state interference in a federal official's duties that the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits."

Fifty-seven percent of voters agree with that statement, including 37% who strongly agree, according to the Rasmussen survey. Twenty-seven percent disagree, including 20% who strongly disagree. Another 16% are not sure.

Sixty-one percent of Republicans, 64% of Democrats, and 42% of unaffiliated voters at least somewhat agree that the Georgia charges are unconstitutional "state interference in a federal official's duties."

Twenty-two percent of Republicans, 28% of Democrats, and 33% of unaffiliated voters in the survey disagree with the statement from Meadows' attorney.

Sixty-two percent of Republicans believe it's at least somewhat likely that cheating by corrupt public officials prevented Trump from winning the Georgia election in 2020, a belief shared by 47% of Democrats and 42% of unaffiliated voters in the Rasmussen survey.

More women voters (44%) than men (35%) strongly approve of Georgia bringing criminal charges against Trump and his aides. Fifty-three percent of men and 48% of women voters say it's at least somewhat likely corrupt public officials cheated Trump in the 2020 Georgia election.

Voters under 40 are more likely than their elders to approve of the Georgia indictment of Trump and his aides. Those aged 40-64 are most likely to agree that the Georgia charges are unconstitutional "state interference in a federal official's duties."

Fifty-one percent of whites, 66% of black voters, and 59% of other minorities at least somewhat approve of Georgia bringing criminal charges against Trump and his aides.

Eighty-three percent of self-identified liberal voters strongly approve of the Georgia indictment. Sixty-eight percent of conservatives say it's likely Trump was cheated by corrupt officials in the 2020 Georgia election.

Breaking down the electorate by income category, 57% of voters in the highest bracket — earning more than $200,000 a year — strongly approve of Georgia bringing criminal charges against Trump and his aides. Those with annual incomes between $30,000 and $50,000 are most likely to disapprove of the Trump indictment.

President Joe Biden's strongest supporters are most enthusiastic to see Trump and his aides prosecuted in Fulton County. Among voters who strongly approve of Joe Biden's job performance as president, 84% strongly approve of Georgia bringing criminal charges against Trump and his aides. By contrast, among those who strongly disapprove of Biden's performance, 79% strongly disapprove of the Georgia indictment.

Trump plans to skip this week's televised debate among Republican 2024 presidential candidates, but has a strong lead with GOP primary voters.

The survey of 997 U.S. likely voters was conducted on Aug. 16-17 and 20, 2023, by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC.