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Utahns remain split on impeachment, poll says

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Alyssa Stauffer joins other activists as they gather outside the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, as part of the nationwide “Nobody Is Above the Law” rallies, the day before the U.S. House of Representatives votes to impeach Donald Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors. The rally in Salt Lake City is one of more than 500 rallies occurring nationwide in all 50 states.

Utahns have long been ambivalent about President Donald Trump, and they remain split over whether he should be impeached and kicked out of office.

A plurality of Utahns, 47%, opposes impeachment, while 43% support Trump’s impeachment and removal from office, according to a newly released Utah Policy poll. The results are within the margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

Only 10% of the 911 registered Utah voters contacted said they were unsure.

The poll, by Y2 Analytics, was conducted Nov. 19-Dec. 7, but published Monday.

Republicans strongly opposed impeachment, including a whopping 92% among those who described themselves as “strong Republicans.”

Democrats were just as unwavering in support of impeachment. Fully 98% of “strong Democrats” endorsed impeachment and removal and even among independents who said they were “leaning Democrat” support for impeachment and removal stood at a hearty 89%.

Independents who said they had no party preference were split just about down the middle — 42% in favor of impeachment and 39% opposed.

As far as public interest in the historic impeachment process — the first in a generation — just a third of Utahns (32%) said they were closely following media coverage, while a quarter (27%) said they were “not really” or not “at all” following coverage. A plurality — 42% — said they were “somewhat” following media coverage of impeachment.

Utahns have always had mixed feelings about Trump. He won the 2016 election in the Beehive State with 45.5% of the vote, the worst showing for a Republican candidate in decades.

His approval ratings since the election have hovered around 50% for the most part, although the president has consolidated his support among Utah Republicans — as he has done nationally.