Trump’s loss is making more Americans ‘happy’ than Biden’s victory, poll finds
More Americans are happy that President Donald Trump lost the election than are happy that President-elect Joe Biden won, a new poll found.
The Monmouth University poll of 810 adults, conducted Nov. 12-16, found 34% of respondents answered they were “happy” that Trump lost the election while 25% answered they were “happy” about “the idea” of Biden becoming president.
The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The Associated Press projected Biden the winner of the presidential election on Nov. 7. He has 290 Electoral College votes to Trump’s 232, according to the AP, with Georgia yet to be called.
The poll found a closer divide among respondents who answered they were
“satisfied” or “happy” about Trump’s loss or Biden’s win — with 52% answering they were “satisfied” or “happy” Trump lost compared to 51% who answered the same about Biden’s win.
It also broke the answers down along partisan lines.
Seventy-four percent of Democrats answered they were “happy” Trump lost the election, while 57% answered the were “happy” about Biden becoming president.
Among Republican respondents, 4% answered they were “happy” about Trump’s loss and 4% answered the same about Biden’s win.
The poll also found more Americans expressed anger about Biden’s win than Trump’s loss — with 15% who answered they were “angry” about Biden winning compared with 10% who answered the same of Trump losing.
Meanwhile, 29% said they were “dissatisfied” with Biden’s win, while 28% said the same about Trump’s loss.
The president and his allies have lodged unfounded claims of voter fraud and made baseless attempts to challenge the outcome of the election in battleground states — including filing lawsuits that have largely been unsuccessful in court.
But 60% of respondents in the poll said Biden won “fair and square.”
Additionally, a Politico/ Morning Consult poll of 1,987 registered voters conducted Nov. 6-9 with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points found the majority of respondents, 60%, thought the election was “free and fair.”
Elections officials representing both parties have said there’s been no evidence of widespread fraud.
Trump has refused to concede victory to Biden, and his administration has been stalling the transfer of power, preventing Biden’s transition team from accessing important information — including on national security and the coronavirus pandemic — it needs to prepare for him to take office on Jan. 20, 2021.
Forty-six percent of respondents in the Monmouth poll said they “strongly disapprove” of the way Trump is “handling the transition process” while another 15% answered they “somewhat disapprove.” Another 20% said they “strongly approve” and 11% said they “somewhat approve.”
The poll asked participants how big of a threat they think the delayed transition poses to national security.
While 35% said they think it’s a “major threat,” 26% said they think it’s a “minor threat” and 36% said they don’t think it poses any threat.
Lawmakers and other officials — including from the president’s own party — have said the stalled transition is dangerous and have urged him to move forward with the transfer of power.