Former US President Donald Trump has extended his lead over his Republican primary rival, Ron DeSantis, despite facing a federal indictment over classified documents found at his Florida mansion, according to a poll released on Tuesday. The national survey by NBC News shows that 51% of Republicans would vote for Trump in the primaries for the 2024 presidential elections, while DeSantis has a 22% voting intention. The poll, conducted between June 16 and 20, reveals that Trump has gained five percentage points since April, while DeSantis has lost nine points.
Jeff Horwitt of pollster Hart Research Associates, which conducted the study along with Public Opinion Strategies, stated that not only are Republicans sticking with Trump after his federal impeachment, but there are signs that his support is growing while others, particularly DeSantis, are losing ground.
Behind Trump and DeSantis in the poll are former Vice President Mike Pence with 7% voting intention, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley with 4%, and Senator Tim Scott with 3%, among other Republican candidates. The survey, which has a margin of error of 4%, also shows that in a hypothetical face-to-face matchup between Trump and current US President Joe Biden, the Democrat leads the Republican by four percentage points.
According to the average of polls on the RealClear portal, Trump currently has an average of 52.1% of voting intention, with DeSantis in second place at 21.5% and Pence in third place at 5.8%.
Trump was formally charged on June 13 in a federal court in Miami with 37 counts related to classified documents found at his Palm Beach home in 2022. The indictment, the first for federal criminal offenses brought against a US president or former president, was the result of an investigation by special counsel Jack Smith. The charges against Trump include knowingly withholding US defense-related documents, obstructing justice, and “corruptly” concealing documents or records. Trump maintains his innocence and claims to be the victim of a “witch hunt.”
Who are the top three Republican candidates in terms of voting intention according to the poll
Former US President Donald Trump maintains a significant lead over his Republican primary rival, Ron DeSantis, according to a new poll released on Tuesday. Despite facing a federal indictment over classified documents found at his Florida mansion, Trump has gained even more support among Republicans, with 51% indicating they would vote for him in the 2024 presidential primaries. In contrast, DeSantis saw a decrease in support with only 22% of the voting intention.
The poll, conducted by NBC News between June 16 and 20, shows a five-point increase in support for Trump since April, while DeSantis lost nine points. Jeff Horwitt of pollster Hart Research Associates noted that not only are Republicans sticking with Trump after his federal impeachment, but his support is growing while others, including DeSantis, are losing ground.
Behind Trump and DeSantis in the poll are former Vice President Mike Pence with 7% voting intention, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley with 4%, and Senator Tim Scott with 3%, among other Republican candidates. In a hypothetical matchup between Trump and current US President Joe Biden, the Democrat leads by four percentage points, according to the survey.
The RealClear portal’s average of polls shows Trump currently holding an average of 52.1% of voting intention, with DeSantis in second place at 21.5% and Pence in third place at 5.8%.
Despite facing federal charges on June 13, Trump continues to maintain his innocence and labels the indictment as a “witch hunt.” The charges include withholding classified US defense-related documents, obstructing justice, and concealing documents or records in a “corrupt” manner. This indictment marks the first time a US president or former president has faced federal criminal charges.
Interesting poll findings. It’s surprising to see how Trump’s support continues to grow despite the ongoing federal indictment. It seems that his appeal among Republican voters remains strong.