A recent poll conducted by the Marquette Law School found that 56% of Americans supported the Supreme Court’s decision to keep former President Donald Trump on Colorado’s presidential ballot, despite claims of violating the “insurrectionist ban” in the 14th Amendment. However, a majority of 62% of respondents opposed granting immunity to “former presidents” in general, with only 20% supporting the idea. This comes as the justices are set to hear arguments in a case over whether Trump should be granted immunity from prosecution in a special counsel’s election subversion case.
Interestingly, when half of the respondents were asked whether “former presidents” should receive immunity, and the other half were asked specifically about “former President Donald Trump,” the percentage of those supporting immunity for Trump increased by 8 points. This shift was largely attributed to Republicans, who were more inclined to support immunity for Trump as opposed to “former presidents” in general, highlighting a notable discrepancy in opinions within the party. The poll’s director, Charles Franklin, noted that Republicans seemed to change their stance when the question directly mentioned Trump, indicating a lack of awareness about the specifics of the Supreme Court case involving his immunity.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the immunity case on April 25, marking one of the most anticipated cases of the year. In another experiment, pollsters found that mentioning the court’s unanimous decision in the Trump “insurrectionist ban” case led to slightly higher approval rates, but also increased opposition among respondents. Despite this, the court remained deeply divided over the reasoning behind the decision, showcasing ongoing debates within the institution. Americans’ support for the Supreme Court has decreased in recent years following controversial rulings, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and ongoing ethics and transparency concerns involving some justices.
The Marquette poll revealed that 47% of Americans approve of the job the Supreme Court is doing, showing a slight increase compared to previous polls but still lower than levels from three years ago. The poll was conducted from March 18-28 and surveyed 1,000 adults nationwide using the SSRS Opinion Panel, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Overall, the findings suggest a complex landscape of opinions regarding the Supreme Court’s decisions, particularly related to high-profile cases involving former President Trump and the ongoing debate over immunity from prosecution.
