Trump Maintains Lead Despite Legal Troubles, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Shows
According to a new Reuters/Ipsos survey, former President Donald Trump continues to maintain a significant lead over other Republican candidates in the primary race, despite his legal troubles. Trump has the support of 47% of Republican voters, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was previously seen as a strong contender, has seen a drop in support to 13%. No other Republican candidate has double-digit support in the poll.
The survey also found that 45% of Republicans would not support Trump if he were convicted of a felony, while 35% would continue to support him. However, more Republicans would still support Trump over an unnamed candidate if he were convicted. Additionally, if Trump were serving time in prison, 52% of Republican voters say they would not support him, while 28% would.
The poll revealed that a majority of Republicans and Trump supporters believe that he behaved appropriately during the 2020 election and the events of January 6th, though only 35% believe he acted appropriately when pressuring former Vice President Mike Pence to reject President Joe Biden’s win.
Overall, 48% of Americans believe that the charges against Trump are politically motivated, with 75% of Republicans agreeing. A majority (64%) of Americans have already made up their minds about Trump’s guilt or innocence regarding January 6th, with Republicans who support him in the primary being the most decisive.
The survey was conducted from August 2-3, 2023, among 1,005 adults in the United States.
