Poll: Republicans Trust Trump Over Official Election Results, Says AP-NORC

CHICAGO — The aftermath of the 2020 election significantly impacted many Americans’ trust in the electoral process. One clear example is Christopher Pugh, a 38-year-old Republican from Gulfport, Mississippi. His skepticism towards the government intensified as he absorbed coverage from Fox News and social media following the election. Pugh now firmly believes in the unfounded claim that the 2020 election was rigged and relies almost exclusively on former President Donald Trump for news about future elections.

“I trust Donald Trump, not the government,” Pugh stated decisively.

According to a recent survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts, while a majority of Americans maintain at least a moderate trust in government-certified election results, Republicans are more inclined to put their faith in Trump and his campaign. There is a growing concern amongst voters regarding misinformation, further complicating trust in the claims made by presidential candidates, especially Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Despite the absence of evidence supporting claims of widespread electoral fraud, Trump continues to insist that he lost the 2020 election due to cheating. His narrative persists even after numerous court challenges were dismissed, recounts and audits validated President Joe Biden’s victory, and even after his own attorney general acknowledged no indication of broad-scale fraud. A poll conducted in 2023 revealed that many Republicans still doubt Biden’s legitimacy as president.

As Trump begins his third campaign for the presidency, he hints at intentions to combat what he describes as rigged systems that could lead to his defeat. During a rally in Las Vegas, he proclaimed, “The only way they can beat us is to cheat,” establishing a dangerous precedent for future elections.

The AP-NORC survey highlighted a troubling trend among Trump’s supporters. Approximately two-thirds of Republicans express moderate to high trust in his campaign to deliver accurate 2024 election results. In contrast, only half extend the same level of trust to official government certifications. On the other hand, nearly 90% of Democrats report moderate to high trust in government certifying bodies, with 82% confident in Harris’s campaign.

About 70% of Americans surveyed affirm that they have at least a moderate trust in government-certified election results. Most also hold confidence in national and local television news as well as print media regarding the accuracy of election-related information.

Others, like 45-year-old Democrat Danielle Almeida from Briarcliff Manor, New York, find it unsettling that some individuals do not trust official election outcomes. “In order to have a democracy, we have to trust the system and the results of our elections,” Almeida said. She criticized Trump for disregarding factual accuracy and believed he assumes his supporters are indifferent to such issues.

While confidence in politicians’ campaigns remains low across the board, Harris enjoys greater trust compared to Trump. About half of Americans show moderate trust in Harris’s campaign, whereas only 40% extend similar trust toward Trump.

This distrust of electoral integrity among Republicans has roots extending back to at least the 2000 presidential election, when George W. Bush narrowly won against Al Gore. Richard Baum, a 60-year-old conservative independent from Odessa, Texas, recalls how the controversies around “hanging chads” sparked enduring doubts about election reliability.

Baum believes that election results would only be trustworthy with tighter regulations, such as same-day voting and mandatory photo IDs at polling stations.

Many Americans share a skepticism towards the messages from candidates, with the USAFacts/AP-NORC survey indicating that around 60% think Trump’s campaign statements are often misleading, compared to 45% who feel that way about Harris’s communications. Furthermore, nearly half of the public admits it is challenging to differentiate between fact and fiction regarding the candidates.

While approximately 60% of Americans find it easy to discern fact from opinion in election-related information, only 40% assert it is straightforward to verify the truth of what candidates say.

Despite the existing challenges, there appears to be greater confidence in logistics surrounding voting. Roughly 70% of respondents feel adequately informed about voter registration, and about 60% believe they understand how to cast their votes.

Michele Martin, a 56-year-old Democrat from Pennsylvania, expresses her concern over the prevalence of misinformation from political figures but finds essential voter information readily accessible.

About 80% of Americans perceive misinformation about government as a significant concern, a sentiment that remains unchanged since 2020. Lisa Kuda, a 57-year-old Republican from Palm Harbor, Florida, notes that she predominantly consumes news through social media, expressing a sense of alienation from traditional news outlets, except for Fox News.

When discerning the truth in election-related news, 40% of Americans resort to an internet search for verification, while fewer check national or local news stations or social media. Baum prefers conservative media outlets and podcasts, believing major platforms like Google suppress conservative perspectives.

In contrast, Almeida’s approach is more methodical; she utilizes Google to research candidates and verifies claims by comparing multiple reputable articles, strengthening her trust in overlapping reports.

“Misinformation is a huge problem,” she acknowledged, highlighting the importance of diligent research.

Source: Associated Press