Independent support for impeachment inquiry rises following public hearings: poll

Independent support for the impeachment inquiry rose after the public hearings, according to a poll released Tuesday. 

The Politico/Morning Consult poll showed 44 percent of independent voters surveyed backed the impeachment inquiry, a 4-point jump from last week’s poll. Independent opposition to the inquiry also dropped 8 points to 39 percent.

This boost in support comes after polls in recent weeks showed a decline of independent support for the investigation. Polls have repeatedly shown that Democrats and Republicans are standing their ground to back and oppose the inquiry, respectively.

This week’s poll showed 81 percent of Democratic respondents supporting the House investigation into President Trump, and 81 percent of Republican respondents against it. The even divide among party-aligned voters indicates the influence independents will have in the total opinion.

Overall, registered voters in the poll backed the impeachment inquiry at the same rate as last week, at 48 percent, but opposition to the investigation slipped by 2 points to 43 percent.

The poll surveyed 1,988 registered voters between Nov. 22-24, in the days following the last public hearings in the House. The margin of error is 2 percentage points.

The House launched an impeachment inquiry into the president after a whistleblower complained that Trump asked the Ukrainian president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden days after withholding military aid from the country.

Current and former Trump officials have testified publicly in front of the House Intelligence Committee on the White House’s relationship with Ukraine.