Trump impeachment: trial begins in US Senate -- watch live The impeachment trial of US president Donald Trump has begun in the Senate.
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There's a huge, gaping hole in the impeachment conversation. There are no polls showing how voters in Repubican Senator's states are reacting to their senators' refusal to allow witnesses and their proclivity towards acquitting Trump.
Polls showing voters were considering voting for ANY Democrat instead of the Republican senator could produce a strong effect on Republican senator positions. If, for example, Martha McSally sees that the polls show her tanking in the Arizona senate election, she might vote for allowing witnesses. If they show that voters will not be satisfied unless she votes to convict Trump, she might just go that way.
Of the 32 Senators up for election this year, 22 of them are Republican senators running for re-election this year. Polls would show if their positions on witnesses and conviction would put their jobs at risk. I can't imagine a more effective way to influence their decision process.
Here are the ways I'd see the polls handle this:
1-Ask, in states where Republican senators are up for re-election:Will the decision to allow witnesses in the Senate impeachment hearings affect your decision on who to vote for in the Senate election this fall?
-Yes. This will lead me to vote against the senator.
-No. I will continue to plan to vote for the senator.
Will the decision to acquit Donald Trump in the impeachment hearings affect your decision who to vote for in the Senate election this fall?
-Yes. This will lead me to vote against the senator and for the Democratic candidate..
-No. I will continue to plan to vote for the Republican senator.
-I was going to vote Republican, now I am not sure.
-I was always going to vote Democratic and still plan to do so.
Then there should be similar questions asked about how the Senate Republican behavior will affect other elections:
1-Ask, nationally, and in states where Republican senators are up for re-election:Will the decision to allow witnesses in the Senate impeachment hearings affect your decision on who to vote for in the Congressional and other down-ticket elections?
-Yes. This will lead me to vote against Republicans and for Democrats.
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