Greg Price,Newsweek Wed, Jun 13President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on the special counsel investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election may be taking hold not only among Republicans but Democrats and independents as well, according to a poll released Wednesday.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll found Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s favorability among Democrats and independents took a slight dive over the last 11 months. Twenty-four percent of Democrats registered an unfavorable score for Mueller, while 33 percent of independents also viewed Mueller in a negative light.
Last July, Mueller’s approval ratings among both Democrats and independents were higher. The former FBI director received a positive 28 percent rating among independents, and 32 percent from Democrats.
Overall, a record 53 percent of the poll’s respondents shared an unfavorable reaction to Mueller, a 26-point jump since Politico/Morning Consult first started polling the special counsel’s favorable and unfavorable rating among registered voters.
Still, 50 percent of Democrats view Muller favorably and approve of his work. To date, the investigation has handed down 18 indictments and resulted in five guilty pleas, including from three members of Trump’s 2016 campaign.
But, as Trump continues to label Mueller’s investigation as a “witch hunt” led by “13 angry Democrats,” more voters now believe the probe to be “handled unfairly.” In the latest poll, 40 percent of voters, compared to 34 percent in February, question the probe’s integrity and fairness.
