A whopping 64 percent of Republicans say there should be public statues and memorials to Confederate General Robert E. Lee, more than double everyone else.

Respondents to a new YouGov poll were asked “Do you believe that each of the following historical figures should or should not have statues or memorials of them in public places?”

When asked about the disgraced general, only 13 percent of Republicans said he “should not” have statues or memorials in public places, versus an overwhelming 64 percent who said there should be memorials to Lee — more than double the 30 percent of the other respondents (Democrats: 22% Independents: 36%) who said so.

A slightly smaller but still large majority of Republicans favored memorializing Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. Only 14 percent of Republicans said Davis “should not” have statues or memorials in public places, versus 57 percent who said there should be memorials to Davis — again about double the percentage of other respondents (Democrats: 19% Independents: 31%) who said so.

Defending Confederate statues and monuments became a defining characteristic of former President Trump’s time in office, during which he publicly, and explicitly defended Confederate monuments, as well as the Confederate battle flag, and vehemently opposed the renaming of military bases named for Confederate figures.

At that time, Trump also signed a series of executive orders protecting statues and monuments, orders which scrupulously avoided mentioning Confederate monuments by name even as he named them in his public statements.

Respondents to the same poll were asked about statures and memorials for other figures. Here are the partisan breakdowns for some of those questions:

Thomas Jefferson

Should — All respondents: 64% Democrats: 52% Independents: 61% Republicans: 81%

Should Not — 13% Democrats: 22% Independents: 11% Republicans: 7%

George Washington

Should — All respondents: 71% Democrats: 66% Independents: 66% Republicans: 84%

Should not — All respondents: Democrats: 12% Independents: 16% Republicans: 13%

Elvis Presley

Should — All respondents: 42% Democrats: 44% Independents: 38% Republicans: 45%

Should not — All respondents: 31% Democrats: 33% Independents: 29% Republicans: 31%

Andrew Jackson

Should — All respondents: 45% Democrats: 27% Independents: 43% Republicans: 68%

Should not — All respondents: 24% Democrats: 41% Independents: 20% Republicans: 10%

Martin Luther King

Should — All respondents: 77% Democrats: 81% Independents: 69% Republicans: 83%

Should not — All respondents: 10% Democrats: 7% Independents: 14% Republicans: 7%

Abraham Lincoln

Should — All respondents: 77% Democrats: 77% Independents: 71% Republicans: 88%

Should not — All respondents: 9% Democrats: 10% Independents: 11% Republicans: 5%

Rosa Parks

Should — All respondents: 68% Democrats: 79% Independents: 62% Republicans: 65%

Should not — All respondents: 13% Democrats: 9% Independents: 13% Republicans: 16%

Susan B. Anthony

Should — All respondents: 60% Democrats: 68% Independents: 53% Republicans: 62%

Should not — All respondents: 12% Democrats: 10% Independents: 12% Republicans: 14%

The post NEW POLL: 64% of Republicans Say Robert E. Lee Should Have Public Memorials and Statues – Only 13% Say No first appeared on Mediaite.

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