MONROE, Ga. — Supporters of President Donald Trump are finding ways to explain – or disregard – the allegations raised against him in the House impeachment inquiry.
"I think it’s all blown up, totally out of proportion," said Linda Holloway of Monroe, a Trump backer.
Asked if there was legitimacy to some of the allegations, she said "possibly, yes. But blown up and manipulated."
She blamed Congressional Democrats for trying to undermine Trump's agenda.
She chatted with 11Alive News in downtown Monroe, the seat of Walton County. More than three-quarters of voters in Walton County selected Trump in the November presidential election in 2016.
"I think it's a waste of time," added Bob Caruso. "It's all baloney."
Caruso said a conversation between the U.S. president and another head of state, as Trump had with the president of Ukraine, should not be regarded as criminal behavior.
"I don't think it's a crime if either (political) party, whichever party did it or said it - it doesn't matter," he said.
An 11Alive poll appears to show support for the president slipping statewide, however. It shows 41 percent of likely Georgia voters have a favorable view of President Trump, while 48 percent have an unfavorable view – a difference beyond the statistical margin of error.
Trump carried Georgia with 51 percent of the vote in 2016.
Liz Wellman, a Trump backer from Monroe, said she has paid no attention to the impeachment proceedings.
"Don’t want to know. Just trust" that Trump has done nothing wrong, she said.
Our poll shows Georgians are on the fence at best about impeachment. It shows 44 percent of voters favor a vote to impeach. Forty-two percent say they don’t support a vote to impeach. Statistically, that’s a tossup.
Nine percent of Georgia Republicans said they support impeachment. Six percent more said they were undecided. The rest – 85 percent – oppose it.
Asked if he thinks the president's hands are clean in the impeachment allegations, Trump supporter Bob Weeden of Monroe said, "I think so. Ninety-nine percent. I’m sure he’s got a little finger in something but – I think he's pretty much innocent. Why would a man that powerful try to screw up everything?"
Democrats allege Trump tried to use Ukraine to get dirt on Democrat Joe Biden, a Democratic front-runner in the 2020 race.
Voters in Walton County think they ought to be able to decide the fate of President Trump in next year’s election – and not members of Congress.