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Voters Say FBI's Kavanaugh Investigation Won’t Satisfy Anyone

Democrats think the FBI’s expanded background investigation into allegations of sexual assault lodged against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will prove fruitful. Republicans do not. Regardless, voters in both parties don’t think it will satisfy anyone.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 42% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s at least Somewhat Likely that the FBI will find evidence to corroborate Christine Ford’s allegations against Kavanaugh, including 21% who think it’s Very Likely. Fifty-one percent (51%) think it’s unlikely, with 32% who feel it’s Not at all Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Sixty-four percent (64%) of Democrats believe the FBI investigation will back the accusations made by Ford, while 26% do not. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans doubt the new investigation will turn up anything credible, but 20% think it will. Voters not affiliated with either major political party are more evenly divided, but a majority (53%) feel the FBI’s investigation is unlikely to corroborate Ford’s allegations.

Among all voters, 21% say it’s likely that the FBI’s investigation of Ford’s allegations will satisfy both supporters and opponents of the Kavanaugh nomination, with seven percent (7%) who think it’s Very Likely. Seventy-one percent (71%) don’t think it’s likely, including 32% who say it’s Not at all Likely.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 1-2, 2018 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Most Republicans (73%) feel it’s unlikely that the FBI’s investigation of Ford’s allegations will satisfy both supporters and opponents of the Kavanaugh nomination. Most Democrats (62%) and unaffiliated voters (78%) agree.

Few supporters of President Trump think it’s likely the FBI will find evidence to corroborate Ford’s allegations against Kavanaugh. Most voters who disapprove of the president’s job performance think the FBI will find credible evidence to support Ford’s accusations.

Forty-three percent (43%) of women believe the FBI’s investigation will turn up evidence that will support Ford’s story, while 51% don’t think it’s likely. Forty-two percent (42%) of men are confident in the FBI’s investigation, while 51% are not.

Voters under the age of 40 are more likely than their elders to think the FBI will find credible evidence that backs up Ford’s allegations against Kavanaugh.

Forty-five percent (45%) of all voters think the current Kavanaugh controversy is an honest attempt to determine criminal wrongdoing. Just as many (44%) think it’s a witch hunt.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) of voters believe Kavanaugh is telling the truth when he denies Ford’s claim that he attempted to rape her 36 years ago when the two were in high school. Thirty-eight percent (38%) believe the accuser.

Kavanaugh told the Senate Judiciary Committee late last week: “This confirmation process has become a national disgrace. The Constitution gives the Senate an important role in the confirmation process, but you have replaced advise and consent with search and destroy.” Most voters think he’s right. Even Democrats are conflicted.

As America becomes more familiar with Kavanaugh, voters are developing strong opinions about the Supreme Court nominee, and their willingness to vote for senators who support him hasn’t wavered.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 1-2, 2018 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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