The latest ABC News/Ipsos poll reveals a split among Americans regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s approach to former President Donald Trump’s ballot access. A majority of respondents express support for either barring Trump from national presidential ballots or allowing individual states to make that decision.
According to the national poll, opinions are closely divided (49-46%) on state-level rulings preventing Trump’s ballot access in Colorado and Maine. As for the next steps, 56% of respondents are open to seeing Trump disqualified in some or all states. This includes 30% who believe the Supreme Court should bar him nationally and 26% who feel each state should decide independently.
Interestingly, 39% of participants support a third option, suggesting that the court should maintain Trump’s presence on the ballot across all states. The survey, conducted by Langer Research Associates with fieldwork by Ipsos Public Affairs, also indicates substantial backing (56-39%) for the possibility of criminal charges against Trump.
This contrasts with views on the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden initiated by House Republicans, which is supported by 44% and opposed by 51%. Notably, a potential conviction appears unlikely to shake Trump’s support base, with just 10% of his favorable opinion holders stating that a conviction would lower their opinion.
Moreover, the strength of sentiment in the cases of Trump and Biden is noteworthy. Forty-one percent strongly support criminal charges against Trump, while 24% strongly oppose them. In Biden’s case, intensity is more evenly distributed, with 26% strongly supporting the impeachment inquiry and 32% strongly opposing it.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear ballot access arguments on Feb. 8. The case revolves around the rulings from the Colorado Supreme Court and Maine’s secretary of state, deeming Trump ineligible for the presidency under the 14th Amendment due to his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protest.
The survey also indicates a shift in public perception regarding the Supreme Court’s decision-making process. While a June 2022 ruling eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion was viewed skeptically by the public, today, more respondents (53%) believe the justices will rule based on the law in the Trump ballot access case, as opposed to personal political views.
Partisan divisions play a significant role in these results, with Democrats more inclined to support the Biden inquiry and oppose Trump, while Republicans hold the opposite view. Independents, however, exhibit a more balanced stance on these issues. The survey was conducted online from Jan. 4-8, 2024, among a national sample of 2,228 adults, with a margin of sampling error of 2.5 percentage points.