#VOTETHEMALLOUT2020 TRENDS AS TRUMP'S REPUBLICAN ALLIES STAND FIRM BEHIND THE PRESIDENT DURING IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

Twitter users have been sharing their anger at the Republican Party as senators battle over President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, which is expected to end with acquittal.

Users were posting messages with the hashtag #VoteThemAllOut2020 on Thursday as senators prepared to resume proceedings in the president's impeachment trial.

Several prominent Republican senators—including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Lindsey Graham—have characterized the impeachment push as partisan electioneering, designed to smear the president ahead of the November election.

Both have openly admitted their desire to quickly acquit the president, ideally before he is due to deliver his State of the Union address on February 4. Trump has dismissed the trial as a "hoax" and maintained he did nothing wrong.

Read More: Wuhan coronavirus outbreak could be a ‘black swan’ that hurts retail sales, tourism in mainland China as Lunar New Year travel ramps up

For all his divisive rhetoric and actions, Trump remains hugely popular with the Republican base. Gallup polling puts the president's approval rating at 89 percent among Republican members, and at just 7 percent among Democrats.

Republican lawmakers are thus hesitant to turn against the president, fearful that a highly motivated Trump-supporting base would make them pay at the ballot box.

Republican Senate leaders have so far stood firm behind the president, blocking Democratic attempts to secure amendments to proceedings including allowing new witnesses to testify in front of jurors.

Among the most coveted potential witnesses is former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who has said he is willing to appear if called. Republicans have suggested they would allow it if Hunter Biden is also called.

Hunter is the son of 2020 candidate Joe Biden, and debunked corruption allegations against the pair are at the crux of Trump's purported efforts to extort the Ukrainian government into announcing an investigation of Joe Biden which would impact the 2020 election.

Trump said on Wednesday that he did not think Bolton would be able to testify as an appearance would raise national security concerns.

But a Reuters/Ipsos poll of 1,108 people shows that most Americans do want new witnesses to be able to testify. Around 72 percent believe the trial "should allow witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the impeachment charges to testify," with 84 percent of Democrats and 69 percent of Republicans supportive.

Seventy percent of respondents—including 80 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Republicans—said senators should "act as impartial jurors" during the proceedings.

Among those backing #VoteThemAllOut was author and radio broadcaster Grant Stern. He called on users to "do your duty" if "the Republican Senators cannot stay awake during a trial over which they're presiding as judges" or if they allow an "unfair trial without documents and witnesses."

Author Jack Wallen said voters should "rid the country of complicit criminals." He added, "The @GOP have proven the only thing they care about is themselves in power. This November we can save the country."