By a bare majority, most Utahns don’t believe GOP President Donald Trump nor his campaign “colluded” with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, a new UtahPolicy.com poll finds.
But there are sharp divisions among Utahns of various stripes over the question, put to 600 adults in a recent survey by Dan Jones & Associates for the online political news outlet.
Jones finds:
- 51 percent of Utahns don’t believe the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians during the presidential campaign, even though it is generally accepted that the Russian government and its internal allies clearly tried to influence the election in a number of ways.
- 36 percent of Utahns say Trump did work with the Russian government in his campaign.
- And 13 percent of Utahns don’t know.
As with almost all things Trump in Utah and nationally, where you stand politically makes all the difference in what you believe regarding the clearly polarizing president, who is now finishing up his first year in office.
- Utah Republicans don’t believe there was any collusion between Russia and Trump’s campaign, 72-12 percent.
- Utah Democrats believe Trump did work with the Russians in his campaign, 85-8 percent.
- Political independents, who don’t belong to any political party, also believe Trump worked with the Russians, 50-40 percent.
Utah men generally stand more with Trump than do women, clearly because of the president’s problems with various female groups and some of his comments and actions against women.
- Only 32 percent of men say Trump colluded with the Russians, but 40 percent of women do.
- 58 percent of men say the president didn’t collude, but only 44 percent of women agree.
As one would expect, those who self-identified to Jones that they are “very” or “somewhat” conservative don’t believe Trump worked with the Russians in the election, while moderates and liberals say he did.
Finally, those with only a high school degree say Trump did not collude, 48-35 percent.
While those with an advanced college degree – like doctors, lawyers, and Phds – are split on the Trump/Russia issue: 45 percent say he did work with the Russians, while 46 percent said he didn’t.
Jones poll 600 adults from Nov. 16-21. The survey has as margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.