NBC Poll: 45 Percent of Republicans Would Not Accept Losing Election

Three in 10 voters — including 45 percent of Republicans — would not accept the election results if their candidate lost, according to a new NBC News/Survey Monkey poll released Friday.

The results:

• Definitely/probably accept results: 68 percent;
• Unlikely/definitely not accept results: 31 percent.

Among Republicans:

• Definitely/probably accept results: 53 percent;
• Unlikely/definitely not accept results: 45 percent.

By comparison, 82 percent of Democrats said they would accept the results.

A Politico poll, also released Friday, showed that 70 percent of voters want the loser to accept the election result.

Trump dropped a bombshell during the final debate Wednesday night when he refused to pledge to accept the election results, saying instead he would keep everybody in suspense.

Then Thursday at a rally in Ohio, Trump said he would accept the election results — if he wins.

The NBC News/SurveyMonkey Third Debate Reaction Poll was conducted Oct. 20 among a national sample of 6,538 adults who are likely to vote. Results have an error estimate of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points.

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