Some 64% of Republican voters said that they would likely join a new political party if former President Donald Trump were to start one, according to a Hill-HarrisX poll that the Hill reported Thursday. The poll also found that 28% of independents and 15% of Democrats said that they would likely join a third party if Trump were to start one.
All told, some 37% of US voters said they were likely to join a Trump third party, according to the poll.
[...] Trump reportedly considered starting a new party last month. The name of the party is expected to be the "Patriot Party."
Trump has said he may seek the presidency again in 2024, but is currently facing an impeachment trial set to begin during the week of Monday Feb. 8. An impeachment would bar Trump from holding office again.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released in January found a slim majority of Americans believe Trump should be convicted and barred from holding public office. [...] Trump's first impeachment trial, on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress after he appeared to pressure the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son, resulted in an acquittal by the Senate, where Republicans held the majority at the time and denied Democrats' attempts to present witnesses.
Not wanting mass defections, the GOP lives and learns.