As President Donald Trump returns to Arizona, poll finds voters deeply divided

Arizonans are deeply divided over President Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

The statewide automated telephone survey of 700 "likely general election voters" found 50 percent who hold either a somewhat or strongly favorable view of Trump, who carried Arizona last year by 3.5 percentage points over his Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Nearly as many — 47 percent — hold an either a somewhat or strongly unfavorable view of Trump.

The poll suggests passions are high. Of the 47 percent who view Trump unfavorably, 41 percent view him "strongly" unfavorably. Of the 50 percent who view the president favorably, 35 percent view him "strongly" favorably.

Only 3 percent said they had never heard of Trump or had no opinion of him.

The poll, conducted Thursday and Friday, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

Trump on Tuesday is coming back to Arizona, where he made seven campaign stops during the 2016 race.

There is much speculation that Trump may use the occasion to announce the pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was convicted of criminal contempt of court for disobeying a judge's order in a racial-profiling case. He also may do some rhetorical bashing of Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., one of his GOP critics in the Senate.

The poll was a collaboration of Intrepid Public Affairs, which is run by Ryan O'Daniel, who was Republican Sen. John McCain's 2016 campaign manager, and Data Orbital, which is run by GOP pollster George Khalaf.

Nowicki is The Republic's national political reporter. Follow him on Twitter, @dannowicki.