There is another poll showing a significant increase in support for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump. What should worry the White House is that among the 52 percent of Americans now supporting impeachment in the Gallup poll is a rising number of key independent voters. These various polls reflect, in my view, a continuing failure of the White House to reframe its impeachment strategy and narrative. It is not working. In the end, impeachment could end with a simple party muscle vote but that is not going to win over key voters like independents. There is clearly damage below the water line for the White House and the control of the Senate could rest in the balance.
Trump appears to be holding on to his core supporters with 39 percent approval. That includes an impressive 87 percent of Republicans. However, only 34 percent of independents now approve of Trump’s performance.
For Democrats, support for impeachment is at 90 percent. Only 6 percent of Republicans support impeachment — an amazing gap.
These polling numbers track the trajectory of Richard Nixon before his resignation. In late August 1974, 58 percent in Gallup polling were in support of Nixon’s impeachment — a 300 percent increase from the polling in June 1973. While that trending is comforting for Democrats, there still remain 46 percent against impeachment.
This can be a mixed bag for the Nancy Pelosi who has long expressed a willingness to impeach Trump while actively obstructing efforts to do so. She appears to have lost control of the issue with voters who are now expecting an impeachment vote by the House.