A recent poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research has found that the country is evenly split on whether former President Donald Trump should serve prison time for his felony conviction in the New York hush money case. According to the poll, 48% of respondents believe Trump should be sentenced to time in prison, while 50% disagree.
The poll also revealed a significant partisan divide, with 78% of Democrats supporting prison time for Trump and 86% of Republicans opposing it. The majority of independents, 56%, do not think Trump should serve prison time.
Opinions on the conviction itself are also divided, with 46% of respondents approving and 27% disapproving. The numbers have remained relatively stable since June, when 48% approved and 29% disapproved.
The public is also split on whether Trump received fair treatment from the judge, jury, and prosecution. While most Democrats believe Trump was treated fairly, most Republicans disagree.
Trump’s sentencing, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, has been delayed until September after the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity last week. The former president could face up to four years in prison, although legal experts have said it’s unlikely he will spend time behind bars given his status as a first-time offender.
The poll also found that most people have heard or read about Trump’s conviction in recent weeks. Democratic respondents were the most likely group to have paid attention to the conviction, with 81% reporting they had heard or read about it, compared to 76% of Republicans, 68% of independents, and 77% of the overall population.
