Six in 10 Republicans still think 2020 was illegitimate

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In a report by The Washington Post (WP) on Wednesday, CNN's pollster SSRS was out in the field in January 2021, between the Capitol riot and Joe Biden's inauguration as president, asking Americans how they felt about the previous year's election.
 
Despite months of inquiry revealing no proof of voting fraud, an overwhelming number of Republicans felt the election was illegitimate at the time, according to WP, adding that more than half of Republicans claimed there was credible evidence that the election was rigged, whereas there was not.

These rankings shifted over time. According to CNN's most recent poll, issued on Wednesday, the percentage of Republicans who believe the election was fraudulent has dropped from 71% in January 2021 to... 63%. The percentage of people who believe Biden won fairly increased from 22% to 36%. An equivalent 36% still think there’s solid evidence the election wasn’t legitimate, reported WP. 

Read next: Poll: Most Americans say events similar to Jan. 6 likely to happen

The newsletter explained that for every Republican who believes Biden is the legitimate winner in 2020, there is a Republican who believes he isn't. Then there's a third Republican who believes the election was rigged but only on the basis of their suspicions.

It’s not clear what “solid evidence the election was illegitimate” really means. According to WP, some of these respondents probably accept Trump’s long-standing assertions that there was rampant voter fraud or cheating with mail-in ballots, the sort of claim that’s been debunked scores of times by scores of observers.

Moreover, others may ascribe to the alternate theory that the election was simply stacked against him, that the powers conspire to hurt him, either by things like suppressing the story about Hunter Biden’s laptop or by working to increase voter turnout.

Despite facing a lawsuit for alleged violations of federal campaign financing laws, former President Donald #Trump still has over half of the support of #Republican votes. pic.twitter.com/EbXUUG3Z7N

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 31, 2023

According to the report, Trump doesn't care about anything related to the speculations around the alleged electoral fraud. He said, "I’ve won two Elections, the second far bigger than the first (it was Rigged!), my Endorsement is considered, far and away, the most powerful in political history, I’m blowing away DeSanctimonious in the Polls, and am leading Biden & Harris BIG, whereas DeSanctus is losing to BOTH,” using one of his nicknames for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

“I have gotten more people Elected than any other human being. Yet I have to listen to these liddle’ lightweights like ‘Ron’ say I can’t win. Like the Dems, it’s just DISINFORMATION. The TRUTH is, they can’t win!!!”

Read next: Over 50% Republican voters want to see Trump president again: poll

It is worth noting that the final report by the US House January 6 Select Committee on the investigation of the Capitol riots has been concluded last year on December 23 that: former President Donald Trump is accused of engaging in a "multi-part conspiracy".

According to the report, the MAGA campaigner "purposely disseminated false allegations of fraud... and for purposes of soliciting contributions," which led to the riots at the Capitol. The report stated that these indicate support for "a multi-part conspiracy to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 Presidential election."

The committee, based on the report, included recommendations to the US Justice Department to file four criminal charges against Trump, which include inciting or aiding sedition (rebellion-instigating speech or rhetoric), but they are however not binding.

Trump will be the first President to be conducted to a criminal referral - if the Committee decides to go through with it. 

The probe further found that the former President and a number of other individuals "made a series of very specific plans, ultimately with multiple separate elements, but all with one overriding objective: to corruptly obstruct, impede, or influence the counting of electoral votes on January 6th, and thereby overturn the lawful results of the election."

The January 6 House panel also recommended criminal referrals for Trump's attorney John Eastman and others for breaching federal criminal statutes.