Former President Donald Trump has a commanding lead over President Joe Biden in Georgia, according to the results of the first poll of Peach State voters since it was alleged that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is romantically entangled with Nathan Wade, who she appointed to prosecute her case against Trump.
The Tuesday Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll was conducted between January 3 and January 11, while the legal filing containing allegations Willis and Wade are in a romantic relationship became public on January 8. Pollsters contacted 1,007 registered voters in Georgia to gather their data, which they reported had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.
The poll found Trump had the support of 44.7 percent of Georgia voters, while Biden was supported by just 36.9 of respondents, generating a nearly eight-point lead for the former president. Biden was determined the winner of Georgia’s electoral college votes in 2020 by less than 12,000 votes.
Support for Trump was consistent among most income brackets included in the poll, with Biden only outperforming his likely opponent with Georgians earning between $25,000 and $49,999 per year and Georgians with an annual salary of $150,000 or more.
The former president continues to struggle with independent voters, however, as the poll showed Biden had the support of 38.4 percent of the demographic, compared to 27.7 percent who support Trump.
While other polls have shown Trump beating Biden in Georgia, the previous AJC poll showed the men statistically tied. That November poll showed Trump had 45.4 percent of the Georgia electorate, while 43.5 percent supported Biden.
Willis was accused by Michael Roman, a defendant in her case against Trump, of financially benefiting from her decision to appoint Wade a special prosecutor. The filing alleged Willis failed to hire Wade through proper channels, and since his appointment, she has benefited financially from luxurious vacations paid with Wade’s pay from her office.
Wade has been compensated more than $650,000 for his work on Willis’ case against Trump, and his duties included meeting with Biden administration officials and a conference with members of the January 6 Committee in the U.S. House.
The district attorney addressed the claims for the first time on Sunday when she delivered a “letter to God” at a Baptist church in Atlanta. While she repeatedly requested forgiveness for her shortcomings, Willis also compared herself to Martin Luther King Jr., defended her decision to hire Wade, and claimed criticism over his appointment was motivated by racism.
Both a criminal referral and a complaint with the Georgia State Bar were filed against Willis last week.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Joe Biden” by President Joe Biden.
