A recent poll conducted by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland indicates that over a third of US adults doubt the legitimacy of Joe Biden's 2020 presidential victory. The findings reveal that 62% of American adults believe Biden's win was legitimate, marking a decline from 69% in the same poll conducted in December 2021.
As the nation commemorates the third anniversary of the deadly January 6 attack on Congress, incited by Donald Trump in his attempt to overturn his defeat by Biden, the poll exposes a lingering skepticism about the electoral process. Thirty-six percent of respondents indicated that they do not accept Biden's victory.
The aftermath of the January 6 attack has seen nine deaths linked to the events, including law enforcement suicides. Over a thousand people have been charged, with hundreds convicted, some on charges of seditious conspiracy. Despite Trump's impeachment for inciting an insurrection, he was acquitted as Senate Republicans maintained their loyalty.
In response to the events, Colorado and Maine have taken steps to bar Trump from the ballot under section three of the 14th amendment to the US Constitution. This post-Civil War measure is designed to prevent insurrectionists from running for state or national office, and Trump is expected to appeal.
Persisting in his claim that Biden's victory was a result of electoral fraud, Trump continues to wield influence over the Republican Party, dominating polling for the party's nomination in the upcoming elections. Among Republicans, the poll indicates that only 31% now consider Biden's win legitimate, a decrease from 39% in 2021.
Notably, the poll suggests a shift within the Republican base, with increased sympathy toward the January 6 rioters and a rising tendency to absolve Trump of responsibility for the attack. Analysts, such as Aaron Blake, a senior political reporter for the Washington Post, interpret the results as a resonance of Trump's messaging among voters already inclined to believe in it.
Michael J. Hanmer, director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, expressed concern about the historical implications of the results, emphasizing that they could be perceived as chilling by many analysts.