Lee Anderson has the backing of the majority of Tory members, new polling suggests.
A survey by the Conservative Home website found 64% said the party was wrong to suspend the Ashfield MP in an Islamophobia row.
Some 31% of respondents in the poll of 751 Tory members said it was the right move, while 5% were unsure.
The former Tory deputy chairman lost the whip last weekend after refusing to apologise for claiming London Mayor Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists.
Mr Anderson has since admitted the remarks which come after months of tensions over pro-Palestine protests were “clumsy” but denied they were racist.
“I think we are out of touch. I have always said it. We are out of touch with the people of this country. When I went home last week I went to my local pub and walked in and people stood up and clapped me.
“We are supposed to be here to represent people. That’s difficult because you can’t represent everybody the same because people have different opinions and political beliefs etc.
“But you have got to be able to read the room in your own constituency. And I think I am reading the room in Ashfield anyway.
“And the amount of emails I’ve had from around the country I think I am reading the room in the country as well.”
