A recent Emerson poll found that Hunter Biden’s gun trial could potentially sway some voters away from supporting President Joe Biden in the upcoming election, with 24% of respondents saying it makes them less likely to support the president. However, 64% of voters stated that the trial would have no impact on their voting decisions. The poll also revealed that a majority of those who believe the trial hurts their chances of voting for Biden are Republicans, while only 11% of Democrats said they would be less likely to vote for the president.
Another survey by Monmouth University conducted last year showed similar results, with 27% of voters indicating that Hunter Biden’s legal troubles make them less likely to vote for his father. However, most of these voters are Republicans who likely would not have voted for Biden regardless. Only 2% of Biden supporters expressed concerns that the issue may deter them from voting for the president. Despite ongoing investigations into Hunter Biden’s business dealings, approximately half of voters believe that President Biden personally profited from his son’s activities.
Hunter Biden’s trial, which involves three felony charges related to a gun purchase in 2018, has brought attention to the issue of addiction and honesty on federal forms. Prosecutors allege that Hunter Biden lied about his drug use on the firearm purchase form and illegally owned the gun for 11 days. The trial has featured emotional testimonies from Hunter Biden’s ex-romantic partners and his daughter regarding his drug use. Hunter Biden, who has pleaded not guilty, could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
Special Counsel David Weiss’ office charged Hunter Biden with lying on the gun purchase form, lying to a licensed gun dealer, and owning a gun while addicted to drugs last year. Throughout the trial, Hunter Biden’s lawyers have argued that he was in denial about his drug addiction at the time of the gun purchase. President Biden has stated that he will not pardon his son in this case and will accept the jury’s decision. Despite the trial, President Biden’s lead over former President Donald Trump remains narrow, with polls showing the two candidates virtually tied.
Following former President Trump’s conviction in Manhattan on multiple counts of falsifying business records, polls suggest that the verdict has not significantly affected his standing. However, a portion of voters, 33%, stated that the guilty verdict makes them less likely to support Trump, while 27% said it makes them more likely to do so. With both candidates neck and neck in the polls, any loss of support for either side could potentially tilt the balance in the upcoming election. The RealClearPolitics’ polling average shows Trump leading Biden by a slim margin of 0.8 percentage points in a head-to-head matchup.
