SPRINGFIELD – In deep blue states like Illinois, the Republican Party leadership does everything it can to distance itself from President Trump and his supporters. That strategy leaves Republican members of Congress high and dry – and on their own to win any districts that may swing between Republican and Democrat majorities.
Rumors are swirling among D.C. operatives that Illinois could lose Republican seats in November in tight races such as Peter Roskam's 6th CD, Rodney Davis' 13th CD and some worry about Mike Bost's 12th CD. Democrats are pressing to win those districts in order to build up a Democrat majority that could impeach the president.
Despite all those concerns, a new Rasmussen poll shows that identifying with President Trump may not be a bad thing – and that more are expecting the president to win re-election in 2020.
Voters see more chance for President Trump’s reelection these days and strongly believe that impeachment is not the best strategy for Democrats running for Congress. From Rasmussen May 4th:
In fact, just 15% of Likely U.S. Voters believe focusing on the president’s possible impeachment is a better campaign strategy for Democratic congressional candidates than focusing on policy areas where they disagree with Trump. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 70% think focusing on policy differences is a better political strategy. Fifteen percent (15%) are not sure.
Forty-one percent (41%) now believe the president will be reelected in 2020, up from 34% in late December. Twenty-six percent (26%) still think Trump will be defeated by the Democratic nominee, but 31% felt that way four months ago.
Twenty-five percent (25%) say the president will be impeached before serving his first full-term in office. That compares to 29% in the previous survey.
A sizable majority of Democrats agrees that policy differences, not impeachment, is the better political strategy, although a plurality of voters in the opposing party still says the Republican president won’t finish his first term in office.
