Why do Democrats insist on impeachment if they can't bring down Trump?

The 10 months to the elections of November 3, the US Senate this week began the trial of the President of the United States , Donald Trump, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

A question, however, echoes in the country. To depose the White House representative is necessary to obtain two-thirds of the senators' votes, that is, 67 votes out of a total of 100.

Only the Democratic opposition has only 47 parliamentarians. Thus, it would be necessary for 20 of the 53 Republicans to vote against the president. Something absolutely unlikely.

This is not the only barrier. The majority leader in the House, Republican Mitch McConnell , has also taken partisan action to undermine the process.

Last Tuesday, the first day of the trial, McConnell thwarted his promise to use Bill Clinton's impeachment as a reference. And released a script that has nothing to do with the Clinton case. 

Why, then, House Speaker Democrat Nancy Pelosi , , and her entire party choose to continue the impeachment?

The question was asked by VEJA to experts in the United States.

“The chances of conviction are low, but they are not zero. New evidence brought by the process can be so strong that it will be difficult to ignore, even by Republicans, ”says John Carey, professor of American politics at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire. 

Democrats need only attract four votes to achieve a simple majority, which in turn would allow them to invite additional witnesses to testify. And there are four Republicans who are independent enough to face the pressure.

"Even if Republican senators unite to prevent the presentation of new evidence and then vote to absolve Trump, there will be a price to pay for the entire party: candidates for Congress and the Senate, in addition to Trump himself, in November," says Carey .

"Research shows that US citizens are divided on whether Trump should be removed from office, but there is broad consensus on the Senate procedure that he should consider all available evidence," he says. 

" Forcing Republicans to hold a trial in which they will be seen as partial is a good electoral strategy for the opposition," he adds.

Trump's opponents also know that the impact on the elections will be small, as the impeachment only reinforces voters' opinions.

But according to John Pitney, a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College, Democrats know that there will be future complications, even if Trump is acquitted in the Senate.

“It is unlikely that the charges will go ahead if you are re-elected, since there is immunity from the position. If he loses, however, the new president's attorney general can investigate criminal violations. It is not just the activities mentioned in the impeachment articles. He can be sued for the cash payments that led his lawyer to prison, ”he says.

Trump could still be prosecuted in state and federal courts after leaving office. In New York, for example, he faces investigations into his financial transactions.