Republican Voters’ Support for Trump Cools after Indictment

By Ari Blaff

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

 

Former President Donald Trump has retained his lead among all 2024 Republican presidential candidates despite slumping support following his indictment over his alleged mishandling of classified documents, a new poll shows.

 

Trump’s support among Republican and Republican-leaning registered voters surveyed in a recent CNN poll slipped from 53 percent in May to 47 percent today.

 

The former president’s favorability has also declined notably from 77 percent in May to 67 percent in June. However, over half of Republicans polled insisted that Trump’s conduct did not impact their perception of him. Instead, many view his “effectiveness” as a president superseding such concerns.

 

More broadly, conservative voters were split over how the rest of the Republican field should respond to the indictment. Nearly half (45 percent), believe that presidential contenders should not take a position on the matter, while another 42 percent argue that they should be outspoken in their condemnation of Trump’s prosecution.

 

Beyond the Republican Party, nearly 60 percent of Americans believe that the indictment is disqualifying and that Trump should terminate his presidential run. A plurality (55 percent) also believe that Trump acted illegally in the situation.

 

Across the political spectrum, Americans of all stripes believe that political bias played a role in the indictment. Ranging from Democrats at the low end (53 percent), to independent voters (67 percent), all the way up to Republicans (92 percent), voters across the country view the Department of Justice’s investigation into the former president as politicized.

 

In early June, Trump was indicted on 37 criminal counts in relation to the mishandling of classified documents. If convicted, the former president could face years in prison.

 

“Our laws that protect national defense information are critical for the safety and security of the United States, and they must be enforced,” special counsel Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Trump, said at a press conference on Friday. “Violations of those laws put our country at risk.”

 

“We have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone,” he said. “Applying those laws, collecting facts, that’s what determines the outcome of an investigation, nothing more, and nothing less.”

 

The poll further found that Flordia governor Ron DeSantis preserved his place behind Trump with 26 percent of support, former Vice President Mike Pence at 9 percent, Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley with 5 percent, and Senator Tim Scott at 4 percent.