Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in as a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia by Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy in a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House in Washington June 1, 2006. (Photo: Reuters)
While a large percentage of voters are not sure who is telling the truth, slightly more believe Judge Brett Kavanaugh over his accuser. When asked, 38% of voters said they believe Judge Kavanaugh is telling the truth, while 33% believe the accuser.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) are unsure, according to the new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports.
Christine Blasey Ford, a liberal activist and Palo Alto University psychology professor, alleges Judge Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a high-school party in or about 1982, when he was 17 and she was 15.
The allegation was made in a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which she withheld for 6 weeks until after the committee held confirmation hearings.
Senator Feinstein has refused to share the un-redacted, original version of the letter with the American public or Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., who invited Professor Ford to testify on Monday.
She refused, and demanded the accused be interviewed first.
Worth noting, voters who are more closely paying attention to the story are least likely to believe the sexual assault allegations. Only those who said they’re “not at all” following the story (22%/24%) or “not sure” (0%/21%) how closely they’ve been following it, believe Professor Ford over Judge Kavanaugh.
Voters paying attention “very closely” believe Judge Kavanaugh by a margin of 43% to 38%. Among those who “somewhat closely” follow the story, the nominee has the edge, 32% to 29%.
By gender, 43% of men and 33% of women believe Judge Kavanaugh, who vehemently denied the allegations. Only 31% of men and 35% of women believe Professor Ford.
Meanwhile, 78%, regardless of whom it is they think is telling the truth, believe it is at least “somewhat likely” Brett Kavanaugh will be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. That includes 41% who think it’s “very likely” and another 37% who think it’s “somewhat likely.”
The national survey of 1,000 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted September 19-20, 2018 by Rasmussen Reports.
