The mainstream media is busy spinning sensational headlines over Speaker Pelosi’s impeachment threats, with a majority trumpeting Pelosi’s move as a welcome way to either remove or defeat President Trump. While it’s true threats of impeachment aren’t exactly a good thing for a sitting president, the plan could easily backfire if Democrats appear to be villainizing the president and wasting time on a self-serving witch hunt. Even Politico printed statements from more than a dozen Democratic Party officials worried about the finality of consolidating their party around a singular issue – impeaching the President – and the fallout if they fail to pull it off. More interesting than the inevitable insider fighting as Democrats weigh the pros and cons of Pelosi’s new impeachment strategy, is what voters think.
We’re turning to responses to President Trump’s own Tweets courtesy of YouGov to provide a benchmark for how the impeachment chatter over the past few days is playing out.
When the President Defends Himself and Fights Back His Approval Goes Up
While President Trump’s approval rating between September 24 and September 26 stood at 39%, support for his Tweet defending the transcript release of his call with the Ukrainian President and lashing back at Democrats earned him a net Good/Great/OK rating of 51% among all respondents, as shown below.
Source: YouGovYoung Millennials and Generation Z Respond Favorably to Trump Calling out Democrats
The President’s return fire went over particularly well with the 18 to 29-year-old cohort, the same group that was the least likely to say Trump was still guilty after he was cleared by the Mueller report. Trump’s September 24 – September 26 approval rating among under-thirties sat at 27%, but his Tweet calling out Democrats for their ‘Witch Hunt’ earned a net favorable rating of 42% as shown below.
Source: YouGovPresident Trump’s montage Tweet of key Democrats leading the impeachment proceedings also earned him a favorable rating of 40% with the 18 to 29-year-old segment, as shown below.
Source: YouGovHispanics Respond Favorably to Trump Calling out Democrats Pushing for Impeachment
Younger voters are not the only constituency that appears more supportive of Trump defending himself against Democrats. The President’s Tweet naming top Democrats in the impeachment process earned him a net favorable rating of 50%, up from his net approval rating of 35% among Hispanics, as shown below.
Source: YouGovDemocrats need to tread carefully with the impeachment strategy, or risk turning off key constituencies they’re banking on to win the election. Younger voters and Hispanics in particular respond favorably when Trump defends himself and shifts the blame back to Democrats. This could throw a major wrench in taking back the White House next year, should the impeachment ploy fall short.
