Special Poll
Former President Trump’s support among Republicans has grown in the wake of his indictment on criminal charges in Georgia.
A new poll by NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom found that Trump has a 25-point lead over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis among likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers. The poll was conducted from August 13-17, after Trump was indicted on charges of attempting to influence election officials in Georgia.
A separate poll by CBS News/YouGov found that 62% of likely GOP primary voters support Trump, while 16% support DeSantis. The CBS poll was conducted from August 16-18, after the Georgia indictment was announced.
The polls suggest that Trump’s indictment has not damaged his popularity among Republicans. In fact, it may have even boosted his support among some voters. This is likely due to the fact that many Republicans believe that the indictment is politically motivated.
A Quinnipiac University poll conducted last week found that 85% of Republicans believe that Trump should not be prosecuted, while 95% of Democrats and 57% of Independents believe that he should be.
The stark partisan divide on this issue is likely to continue, regardless of the outcome of the legal case against Trump.
It is still too early to say how Trump’s indictment will affect his chances of winning the Republican nomination in 2024. However, the polls suggest that he remains the clear frontrunner at this point.