43 Republican Senators voted to acquit Donald Trump. Here's an analysis of their stated reasons, most of which I suspect are not their real reasons. I would think that in most cases, they assessed how mad Trump supporters would be at them if they voted to convict and how that might affect their political future…and they assessed how rough it would be on them to explain or defend a vote to acquit in the future and how that might affect their political futures…
…and then they decided which of two bad choices they were least afraid of at the moment.
This is the way I think most politicians — including many for whom I have voted — look at their options. What's right and what's good for the people are not immaterial (usually) but the deciding factor is self-centered. And yes, I know that's a cynical way to look at things but that doesn't mean it's wrong.
The new ABC News/Ipsos Poll says that 58% of Americans think Trump should have been convicted. That includes 88% of Democrats and 64% of independents.
A lot of folks online seem really troubled by only 14% of Republicans feeling that way. I think it helps to remember that people have all sorts of different barometers on politics and reasons for thinking the way they do. A year or three ago at an outta-town convention, I met a man who felt that Abortion was not only the Number One Issue but the only one. A POTUS who destroyed everything else in this country could have this guy's support if he also stopped Abortion. And I have an acquaintance who thinks the Number One issue is and always will be the price of gasoline. If gas prices go down, whoever's in the White House at that moment is a great President. End of discussion.