Poll: 6 Percent of Iowa Voters Say Impeachment Is Most Important Issue

President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Ivanka Trump listen during a conference call with the International Space Station in Washington, on Oct. 18, 2019. Win McNamee/Getty Images

A new poll found that about 6 percent of voters in Iowa, the first caucus state of the 2020 presidential election, think that the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump is the top issue facing the nation.

The poll, conducted by Emerson College, found that 33 percent of voters think the economy is the top issue. Another 19 percent believe that health care is the most important issue, while 10 percent said social issues are the top issue.

Among Democratic voters, 25 percent said health care is the top issue, while 17 percent said the economy, and 14 percent said the environment were the top issues, respectively.

The poll found that among Republicans, 55 percent view the economy as the main issue, while 14 percent said immigration is the main issue.

President Donald Trump arrives for a "Keep America Great" Campaign Rally at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 17, 2019. Tom Pennington/Getty Images

“The most important issue for voters in Iowa in deciding for whom to vote for president is the economy at 33%, followed by health care at 19% and social issues at 10%. Impeachment ranked 7 out of 9 at 6%, ahead of education at 5% and foreign policy at 3%. Among Democrats, the most important issue is health care at 25%, followed by the economy at 17% and the environment at 14%. The majority of Republicans (55%) identify the economy as the most important issue, followed by immigration at 14%. Independents are split between the economy (27%) and healthcare (24%),” the poll stated.

Emerson researchers surveyed 888 registered voters from Oct. 13-16; the margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

“The Democrats have some work to do in Iowa convincing voters that impeachment is a top priority of Congress; 67% of Democrats in Iowa support impeaching the president, but only 10% identify it as the most important issue in deciding their vote for president,” said Spencer Kimball, director of Emerson Polling.

The poll also found that a plurality of Iowa voters, 48 percent, oppose impeachment.

It comes as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) signaled that he’s not interested in dragging out the impeachment process against Trump.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Oct. 15, 2019. Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

Politico, CNN, and The Washington Post reported that McConnell wants to complete the Senate’s impeachment trial by around Christmas, which is just over two months from now. He told other Republican senators the development in a closed-door meeting on Oct. 16.

According to the reports, McConnell said he believes the House could pass articles of impeachment by Thanksgiving. The Senate could then finish the process in around a month.

The House needs a simple majority to impeach a president, while the Senate needs a two-thirds majority to convict.

In a news conference after the meeting, McConnell noted that “senators will not be allowed to speak, which will be good therapy for a number of them. We intend to do our constitutional responsibility.”

On Sept. 24, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she would go ahead with an impeachment inquiry after a whistleblower alleged Trump used his office to pressure Ukraine into investigating a potential political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. Trump has denied the allegations.