A majority of Republican and independent voters oppose additional U.S. aid for Ukraine, according to new polling data released today and shared with The Daily Signal.
By a margin of 54% to 29%, Republicans do not want Congress to provide funding and supply weapons to Ukraine. Among independents, opposition jumps to 56% with a mere 17% in support. Scott Rasmussen conducted the national survey of 1,000 voters from Aug. 2-3.
Overall, a plurality of American voters—43% to 38%—oppose additional Ukraine aid. Voters are divided by party with 59% percent of Democrats supporting congressional approval of more aid and 24% opposed.
Rasmussen’s poll also surveyed voters on President Joe Biden’s handling of the situation with Russia and Ukraine. Americans expressed dissatisfaction with the commander-in-chief with just 31% of voters rating his performance good or excellent. An overwhelming 61% gave Biden either fair or poor marks.
Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Congress has appropriated $113 billion to Ukraine. Upon returning from their August recess, some members of Congress want to including more funding for Ukraine in a bill providing hurricane relief to Americans.
Rasmussen’s poll, conducted by RMG Research, illustrates the opposition Republicans could face among voters if they pursue additional aid. Already, a bipartisan majority of U.S. senators are on the record supporting greater accountability and oversight for the money already sent to Ukraine.
Last month, a declassified report from the Pentagon’s inspector general raised alarm, revealing that weapons and ammunition sent from the United States were stolen by Ukrainian criminals. The inspector general warned about the lack of meaningful oversight.
Republican senators attempted to address those concerns and others through amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act in July. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., proposed conducting audits and investigations on U.S. aid given to Ukraine for military, economic, and humanitarian needs. It failed, 20-78, with two senators not voting.
Another amendment, offered by Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., with the support of Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., John Kennedy, R-La., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, would have established the Office of the Lead Inspector General for Ukraine Assistance with $10 million in funding and a staff of 30. A bipartisan majority voted in favor of a plan, 51-48, but it failed to meet the 60-vote threshold required by the Senate. Nearly all Democrats voting against it.
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts sounded the alarm on any backroom deal that Congress might negotiate without additional oversight. He also criticized the plan to attach Ukraine aid to legislation providing hurricane relief.
“Reports of a backroom deal to evade spending caps and pair Ukraine money and disaster funds are disappointing,” Roberts said. “Yet again, Washington politicians are working to renege on their promises to the American people and pass unaccountable funding through opaque processes. This is an attempt to hold American citizens hostage by using the cover of hurricane relief as leverage to jam through tens of billions of taxpayers’ dollars for Ukraine with little meaningful oversight.”
Other findings from Rasmussen‘s poll:
- A majority of Americans, 53% to 29%, believe it’s more important to keep the United States out of a wider war with Russia than helping Ukraine.
- Forty percent of voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that Russia will be defeated by Ukraine and its allies, while 35% disagree.
- By a 53% to 25% margin, voters think it is likely that the invasion of Ukraine will lead to a wider war between Russia, Europe, and the United States.
- Both Republicans (72%) and Democrats (55%) oppose sending U.S. soldiers into battle to help Ukraine. Overall, 64% of Americans are opposed with 24% in support of sending American troops.
The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3.1 percentage points.