Poll: Most Think Biden Will Do More to Unite Than Divide

A majority of Americans think President-elect Joe Biden will do more to unite the country than he will to divide it, even if only about half have a favorable impression of him, a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll shows.  

According to the poll:

• 49% see Biden in a positive light, including 86% of Democrats and 43% of Independents.
• 43% don't have a good impression of him, including 82% of Republicans and 48% of independents.
• 8% were undecided.
• 55% said Biden will do more to unite the country than to divide it.
• 39% said Biden will not unite the country.

Meanwhile, in a separate poll, 47% of Americans say Trump will be remembered as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, including 83% of Democrats, 43% of independents, and 13% of Republicans. Further, 57% said they disapprove of the job he did in office. 

The first poll also showed that at least a third of those polled do not believe Biden legitimately defeated outgoing President Donald Trump:

• 65% think Biden was legitimately elected, including 93% of Democrats and 63% of independents.
• 31% don't think Biden won legitimately, including 70% of Republicans.

Biden will also be challenged by his response to the coronavirus pandemic:

• 72% said they have been sick with COVID-19 or know someone who has been.
• 32% of Americans said they or someone in their household lost a job or income. 
• 48% said getting vaccines out is the most important priority
• 24% said the top priority is financial relief for small businesses
• 13% said direct payments to individuals are most important.

Many of those polled also said they are concerned about the safety of Wednesday's inauguration:

• Two-thirds say the ceremony should go on as planned, despite the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6. 
• 28% said holding the ceremony there is too risky. 

The polls were conducted from Jan. 11-13 of 1,173 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points and 1,012 registered voters, with a margin of error of 3.7 points.

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