In the first clear sign that the Russia scandal is impacting Trump with his own supporters, 78% of Americans want a special prosecutor or a select committee to investigate Trump and Russia.
NBC News reported on the latest NBC News/WSJ Poll, “And asked if they prefer Congress or an independent commission or special prosecutor to investigate Russia’s involvement, just 15 percent pick Congress, while 78 percent support an independent commission or special prosecutor.”
Trump’s overall approval rating is 39%, but the number of Americans who support the Republican plan of letting Congress handle the investigation is only 15%. Since most of Trump’s approval comes from Republicans, the difference in these two numbers suggests that there are a sizable number of Republicans out there who support Trump, but want a special prosecutor to investigate the Russia scandal.
If the Republican base is moving away from Trump, it is easy to see a situation unfolding where members of Congress will have to follow suit.
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The firing of James Comey made it exponentially more difficult for Congressional Republicans to protect this president. When Trump fired Comey, he crossed a line. People on all sides of the political spectrum are beginning to unify around a desire for answers.
When even rank and file Republicans are stepping away from Trump, it is the strongest evidence yet that his presidency is truly in peril.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
