Poll: Most GOP voters think 2020 election was illegitimate, but lawmakers should prioritize other issues

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Poll: Most GOP voters think 2020 election was illegitimate, but lawmakers should prioritize other issues

May 16, 2021

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Two-thirds of GOP voters don't believe President Biden won the 2020 election fair and square, suggesting former President Donald Trump's false claims of widespread voter fraud still have momentum, a CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found.

At the same time, however, most of those voters think Republican lawmakers should be focusing their energy on proposing "important legislation." In fact, supporting election fraud claims was found to be the least important issue in the survey, trailing economic policy and "culture and values," as well.

Republican rank and file still deny the legitimacy of the election, but it's still far more important to them now for their leaders to propose legislation on key issues and to match their voters on policy and on values, than it is to see them claim election fraud. pic.twitter.com/gfyWu4NrRr
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) May 16, 2021

The sentiment was also reflected in questions about Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). An overwhelming majority of respondents backed her ouster, but the most popular reason given was that Cheney wasn't on message with the rest of the party, rather than her thoughts on the 2020 election.

NEW FROM @CBSNewsPoll: A majority of Republicans agree with @HouseGOP’s removing @RepLizCheney from conference leadership. Why do they feel this way? They believe she’s not on message; wrong about the 2020 election; didn’t support Trump. 1/3 say disloyalty should be punished. pic.twitter.com/yfnHJWUKw2
— Ed O'Keefe (@edokeefe) May 16, 2021

Finally, there are more Republican voters who think the party should be expanding the base by emphasizing "policies and ideas" than there are those who believe lawmakers should prioritize "pushing for changes to state voting rules."