By CHRISTINE FERNANDO and LINLEY SANDERS Related Press
CHICAGO (AP) — For Christopher Pugh, the 2020 election was a turning level.
He already distrusted the federal government. However as he watched Fox News protection within the instant aftermath of the election and skim posts on Twitter, the social media platform now often called X, that mistrust grew. He now believes the falsehood that the 2020 election was stolen and trusts few folks apart from former President Donald Trump to ship him information about election outcomes.
“I belief Donald Trump, not the federal government,” stated the 38-year-old Republican from Gulfport, Mississippi. “That’s it.”
Whereas most People belief government-certified election outcomes no less than a “average” quantity, Republicans usually tend to belief Trump and his marketing campaign, in line with a brand new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts. People are also heading into the November election with considerations about misinformation. Many have low belief that the data they obtain from presidential candidates — significantly Trump, but additionally Vice President Kamala Harris — is predicated on factual data.
Trump continues to lie about the outcome of the 2020 election, saying it was rigged in opposition to him even after dozens of his court challenges failed, reviews, recounts and audits in battleground states all affirmed President Joe Biden’s win, and Trump’s personal attorney general stated there was no proof of widespread fraud. Regardless of no evidence of any widespread fraud, a 2023 poll found that almost all Republicans consider Biden was not legitimately elected president.
As Trump runs because the Republican candidate for the third time, he is also signaling that he can solely lose by way of widespread fraud. Over the weekend he threatened to prosecute these “concerned in unscrupulous habits” this election ought to he win in November.
“The one manner they’ll beat us is to cheat,” Trump stated at a Las Vegas rally in June.
The latest findings from the AP-NORC survey present {that a} vital chunk of Trump’s supporters is likely to be extra inclined to consider what he says concerning the upcoming election outcomes than they’re to belief authorities certifications of election results.
About two-thirds of Republicans belief Trump’s marketing campaign no less than a average quantity to offer correct details about the outcomes of the 2024 election, whereas solely about half say the identical concerning the official certifications of outcomes, the survey discovered. In contrast, about 9 in 10 Democrats belief the federal government certification no less than a average quantity, and an amazing majority, 82%, even have no less than a average quantity of belief in Harris and her marketing campaign.
Most People — round 7 in 10 — belief the federal government certifications of election outcomes no less than a average quantity, in line with the survey. Majorities additionally belief nationwide and native TV information networks, in addition to native or nationwide newspapers, to offer correct details about the result of this yr’s presidential election.
Danielle Almeida, a 45-year-old Democrat from Briarcliff Manor, New York, stated she trusts government-certified election outcomes and finds it alarming that some People don’t.
“With a purpose to have a democracy, now we have to belief the system and the outcomes of our elections,” she stated, including that she thinks Trump “doesn’t care about fact-checking as a result of he believes his supporters don’t care, both.”
People are much less prone to belief the campaigns general — in comparison with sources corresponding to the federal government and the media — however they’ve a better degree of belief in Harris and her marketing campaign than in Trump and his marketing campaign to offer correct details about the result of the election. About half have no less than a “average” quantity of belief in Harris and her marketing campaign. In contrast, about 4 in 10 have no less than a average quantity of belief in Trump and his marketing campaign.
Some Republicans’ mistrust of election outcomes began far earlier than the 2020 election.
Richard Baum, 60, a conservative impartial from Odessa, Texas, stated his suspicions started within the 2000 U.S. presidential race between George W. Bush and Al Gore. After Bush received by a slim margin, “hanging chads” turned an unlikely symbol of a disputed presidential election as small anomalies frequent in elections ballooned into main nationwide controversies.
“There was some stuff there that didn’t appear proper that made quite a lot of doubts in my thoughts about for those who can belief the federal government,” Baum stated.
Baum stated he would belief election outcomes provided that voting befell on solely a single day, early voting and mail-in ballots have been banned and picture IDs have been required in any respect polling locations.
Many People doubt the veracity of each presidential candidates’ marketing campaign messages, however skepticism about Trump’s marketing campaign is greater, the USAFacts/AP-NORC survey discovered.
About 6 in 10 People consider that Trump’s marketing campaign messages are “not often” or “by no means” primarily based on factual data, in comparison with 45% who say that about Harris’ marketing campaign messages.
Many People additionally say it’s exhausting to discern truth from fiction on the subject of the candidates. Barely lower than half of People say it’s “very simple” or “considerably simple” to search out factual details about the candidates and their positions, and solely about one-third say it’s simple to know if what candidates are saying is true or not.
About 6 in 10 People say it’s simple for them to grasp the distinction between truth and opinion on the subject of details about the upcoming presidential election, however solely about 4 in 10 say it’s simple to know whether or not data is true or not.
People are, nevertheless, extra assured about factual data associated to election logistics: About 7 in 10 People say it’s simple to search out details about the right way to register to vote, and about 6 in 10 say it’s simple to search out details about the right way to forged their poll.
Michele Martin, a 56-year-old Pennsylvania Democrat, stated she is “very involved” about misinformation from politicians however finds it a lot simpler to entry fundamental voter data.
“It’s on-line. It’s mailed to you. It’s not exhausting to search out,” she stated.
About 8 in 10 People say that on the subject of getting details about the federal government, the unfold of misinformation is a “main drawback.” That’s basically unchanged from when the query was requested in 2020.
Lisa Kuda, a 57-year-old Republican from Palm Harbor, Florida, stated she will get most of her information from social media and associates. She stated she feels alienated from most information sources apart from Fox Information.
“Misinformation is in every single place,” she stated. “It’s actually troublesome to search out details about candidates.”
When People see information concerning the election and wish to discover out whether or not it’s true, 40% say they flip to an web search first. A lot smaller shares — round 1 in 10 for every — say they first verify cable information, nationwide TV information or social media.
Baum, from Texas, stated he finds it troublesome to simply entry details about candidates as a result of he believes social media platforms “are censoring conservative ideologies.” He additionally doesn’t belief Google and as an alternative turns to conservative networks and podcasts such One America Information and conservative podcasters to fact-check claims he’s not sure about.
Almeida’s course of appears a lot totally different. She begins with a Google search and wades by way of a number of articles from information shops corresponding to The New York Occasions and NBC Information, making be aware of any variations. If a number of articles have the identical data, she stated, she’s extra prone to belief it.
“Misinformation is a big drawback,” she stated. “It’s a must to take time to do your analysis.”
Related Press author Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. Sanders reported from Washington.
The ballot of 1,019 adults was carried out July 29-August 8, 2024, utilizing a pattern drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be consultant of the U.S. inhabitants. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 share factors.
The Related Press receives help from a number of personal foundations to reinforce its explanatory protection of elections and democracy. See extra about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely answerable for all content material.
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