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Could Trump indictment hurt his 2024 chances -- or help? What polls have found

Brendan Rascius, McClatchy Washington Bureau on

Published in Political News

Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, making him the first current or former U.S. president to ever be indicted, and throwing a curve ball into his third White House bid.

The exact charges were unknown as of Friday because they remain under seal, but they follow a long-running investigation by the Manhattan district attorney’s office into alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly called the investigation a “witch hunt.”

“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment ... ” a spokesperson for the district attorney stated on Friday.

Trump, who was at his Florida estate on Thursday, is expected to surrender himself in New York next week. One of his defense attorneys told The Associated Press that he is “likely” to give himself up on Tuesday.

How will the indictment impact his 2024 chances?

 

Given that Trump’s indictment is unprecedented (only one other president has ever been arrested, but never indicted), it is unclear if it will dampen or strengthen support for his 2024 White House bid.

But, recent polling indicates that few minds will be changed by new charges being brought against him as opinions appear to break along partisan lines, according to Ipsos, a market research company.

Eighty percent of Republicans believe the indictment is politically motivated while only 32% of Democrats believe the same, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from mid March.

Similarly, 83% of Republicans agree with the statement “the elite class is targeting Donald Trump” to cripple his chances of winning in 2024, according to the poll. Only 27% of Democrats agree with the statement.

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©2023 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit mcclatchydc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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