A new Quinnipiac University poll out Wednesday found that 66 percent of Republicans want former President Donald Trump to make a third run for the White House.
That number also mirrors the 66 percent of Republicans that believe the 2020 election was “stolen” by President Joe Biden and the Democrats.
“The numbers fly in the face of any predictions that Donald Trump’s political future is in decline,” Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy said. “By a substantial majority, Republicans: (1) believe the election was stolen from him, (2) want Trump to run again, and (3), if they can’t vote for Trump, prefer someone who agrees with him.”
The poll comes out as some Republicans like Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., and others try to distance themselves and the party from the former president and are supporting the Democratic-led push for a commission to investigate the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 that led to the House voting to impeach Trump a second time.
Cheney was removed from her Republican leadership position for being so outspoken against Trump.
Another big number in the poll may be more relevant as the 2022 mid-term election nears.
Some 85 percent of Republicans said they want candidates that mostly agree with Trump and his policies, according to the poll.
Overall, however, 66 percent of all Americans do not want a third Trump run and 53 percent overall want a candidate that is opposed to Trump and his policies, according to the poll.
While most Republicans see Biden’s victory as illegitimate, overall results show the opposite with 64 percent believing the election result was on the level.
According to the university, these numbers are “fairly similar” to polls taken after the election in December and January 2021.
President Biden’s approval is much tighter though with 49 percent approving the job he is doing and 41 percent disapproving.
A slim majority of 52 percent of those surveyed said Biden is doing what they expected him to do, while 21 percent said he is doing better than expected and 24 percent saying he is doing worse.
According to the poll, 57 percent of Americans feel the Republican Party is heading in the wrong direction while they are almost split, 46-44 percent, with most saying Democrats are headed in the wrong direction.
The poll took place with 1,316 adults nationwide between May 18-24 and has a margin of error of +/-2.7 percentage points, according to the University.
