Poll: The Impeachment Inquiry Into President Biden

This Navigator Research report contains polling data on Americans’ awareness of and attitudes toward the recent Republican-led impeachment inquiry into President Biden, as well as the most convincing statements from opponents about Republicans who are leading the impeachment inquiry.  

A majority of Americans report hearing about the Republican-led impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

55 percent of Americans report having either seen, read, or heard at minimum something about the recent impeachment inquiry into Biden, with one in five who have heard “a lot” about it (21 percent). Republicans are most likely to have heard about the impeachment inquiry (61 percent) compared to just 53 percent of Democrats and fewer than half of independents (44 percent). 

• Overall, more Americans oppose Republicans launching an impeachment inquiry than support it (net -7; 42 percent support – 49 percent oppose). Support falls along partisan lines: four in five Republicans support the inquiry (net +64; 78 percent support – 14 percent oppose), with an even larger share of MAGA Republicans in support (net +94; 92 percent support – 6 percent oppose) compared to just three in five non-MAGA Republicans (net +40; 63 percent support – 23 percent oppose). Additionally, Republicans who regularly watch Fox News are more likely to support the inquiry (net +74; 85 percent support – 11 percent oppose) compared to Republicans who do not regularly watch Fox News (net +56; 73 percent support – 17 percent);
• An overwhelming majority of Democrats are opposed to the impeachment inquiry (net -72; 10 percent support – 82 percent oppose), as do a plurality of independents (net -7; 37 percent support – 44 percent oppose).  
• By a 9-point margin, most Americans feel that Biden should not be impeached (41 percent should be  – 50 percent should not be). This also falls along party lines, with three in four Republicans who believe Biden should be impeached (78 percent should be – 14 percent should not be), Democrats who mostly believe he should not be (10 percent should be – 84 percent should not be), with a plurality of independents who are opposed (net -10; 34 percent should be – 44 percent should not be).

The most convincing statements in opposition to the impeachment inquiry center on Republicans not focusing enough on actual issues affecting everyday Americans.

62 percent of Americans find it convincing that “Republicans in Congress are focusing too much on issues like impeaching President Biden and not enough on issues that impact everyday Americans, like inflation,” including 54 percent of independents. Other convincing statements from those who oppose the impeachment inquiry include:

• Republicans in Congress are focusing too much on issues like impeaching President Biden and making dramatic spending cuts to the programs Americans rely on, and not enough on issues that impact everyday Americans, like inflation (60 percent find this convincing, including 65 percent of independents);
• Donald Trump has been charged with much more serious offenses than what Republicans are accusing Joe Biden of, including lying to law enforcement, trying to overturn the 2020 election results, and destroying classified documents (57 percent convincing, including among 55 percent of independents);
• Republicans in Congress are just going after President Biden to get back at Democrats for impeaching Donald Trump (55 percent convincing, including among 55 of independents);
• Republicans in Congress have been investigating President Biden and have not found any evidence to back up their claims of corruptions: this is just a politically motivated witch hunt to hurt Biden in 2024 (55 percent convincing, including among 49 percent of independents); and,
• Republicans in Congress want to go after President Biden on made up claims, while they refuse to hold Trump accountable on any of his four indictments and 91 felony charges, including efforts to overturn the 2020 elections (55 percent concerning, including 48 percent of independents).