Half of Republicans say Biden won because of a 'rigged' election: Reuters/Ipsos poll

FILE PHOTO: Voters wait in line to enter a polling place and cast their ballots on the first day of the state's in-person early voting for the general elections in Durham, North Carolina, U.S. October 15, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake

(Reuters) - About half of all Republicans believe President Donald Trump "rightfully won" the U.S. election but that it was stolen from him by widespread voter fraud that favored Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.

The Nov. 13-17 opinion poll showed that Trump’s open defiance of Biden's victory in both the popular vote and Electoral College appears to be affecting the public’s confidence in American democracy, especially among Republicans.