According to a recent poll, former President Donald Trump maintains his position as the GOP front-runner despite facing federal charges, although approximately half of GOP voters surveyed express doubts about his continued leadership of the Republican Party.
The NBC poll reveals that a majority of Republican voters would choose Trump as their top candidate in the Republican primary, with 51% supporting him. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis secures second place with 22% of the votes, followed by former Vice President Mike Pence at 7%.
Comparing these results to a poll conducted in April, shortly after Trump was indicted on charges related to hush-money payments, there was a slight increase in support for Trump. In April, 46% of Republican voters favored Trump, while 31% backed DeSantis.
Despite Trump pleading not guilty to 37 federal charges linked to classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a combined total of 77% of GOP primary voters expressed minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns (63%) regarding the federal charges. Additionally, 64% of Republican voters believe that the various indictments and investigations against Trump are politically motivated.
These figures contrast with 55% of all registered voters who have major concerns (47%) or moderate concerns (8%) about the charges against Trump.
Even in a hypothetical match against DeSantis, Trump remains the preferred choice among Republican voters, with 60% supporting him compared to DeSantis’ 36%.
However, in a hypothetical matchup between Trump and President Joe Biden, Biden receives nearly half of the votes (49%), while Trump garners 45% support. Furthermore, 68% of the respondents in the poll express major or moderate concerns about Biden’s mental and physical health.
When asked about Trump remaining the leader of the party, nearly half of GOP voters agree, with 21% stating that while he was a good president, it is time to consider other leaders.
In early June, Trump appeared at a Miami federal courthouse in relation to the classified documents case, marking the first instance of a former president facing federal criminal charges. Trump vehemently criticized the federal indictment as a “sham” and accused the Biden administration of “election interference” during a speech at his Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. He characterized it as “the most heinous abuse of power in the history of our country” and also directed harsh criticism towards Special Counsel Jack Smith, whom he referred to as a “deranged lunatic,” while accusing Biden of orchestrating the arrest and charges against him.