Here’s How Voters Feel About Trump, Even Those Who Wrongly Believe He's Guilty of 'Serious Federal Crimes'

New polling from The New York Times and Siena College shows a now-familiar picture of the state of the Republican presidential primary field: Trump with a dominant lead, DeSantis a distant second, and all the other candidates somewhere in the rear with three percent or less.

According to the Times/Siena poll conducted July 24-27, the numbers shook out to 54 percent for Trump, 17 percent for DeSantis and three percent for Haley, Scott, and Pence while Ramaswamy and Christie tied with two percent. The remaining declared candidates failed to reach one percent.

The shellacking Trump is shown to be delivering to his GOP rivals among likely primary voters in the Times/Siena first survey of the 2024 campaign seems to be pretty universal across different demographics:

Notably, when primary voters were asked to choose between Trump or DeSantis in a head-to-head contest, even 22 percent of "voters who believe [Trump] has committed serious federal crimes" supported the 45th president — "a greater share than the 17 percent that Mr. DeSantis earned from the entire G.O.P. electorate."

"Mr. Trump still received 22 percent among voters who believe he has committed serious federal crimes".

https://t.co/cUI8aQ07TM— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 31, 2023

Republican primary voters polled for the latest survey were more likely to say that DeSantis is "likable" and "moral" while Trump is seen as "fun," "able to beat Joe Biden" and "get things done" as a "strong leader." Despite the DeSantis campaign's efforts to show the Florida governor as the more electable candidate in the general election, more GOP primary voters still think Trump can beat Biden this time around.

The Times explains further:

A strong majority of Republicans surveyed, 58 percent, said it was Mr. Trump, not Mr. DeSantis, who was best described by the phrase “able to beat Joe Biden.” And again, it was Mr. Trump, by a lopsided 67 percent to 22 percent margin, who was seen more as the one to “get things done.”
Mr. DeSantis narrowly edged Mr. Trump on being seen as “likable” and “moral.” Interestingly, the share of Republicans who said Mr. Trump was more “fun” than Mr. DeSantis (54 percent to 16 percent) almost perfectly mirrored the overall horse race.

Sure, it's still early in the primary race. But there hasn't been much that's changed the math of the field. Each indictment against Trump has only bolstered his standing and — despite polls showing an uphill slog for the former president in the general election — Republicans still think he's better positioned to retire Biden and are willing to support him, even if they believe he's committed serious crimes.

Criminals?

Tell me, is Trump a criminal?

Yes, he has been charged, but NOT convicted. Are we still under the American jurisprudence sanctum of Innocent unless PROVEN guilty?? And those charging him are his political enemies.

Remember how the democrats impeached Trump over his phone call to Zelenskyy? and Trump was simply asking about Joe Biden’s efforts to get a prosecutor fired for daring to investigate his son hunter’s illegal involvement with The Ukrainian oil and gas company Burisma, which was sending MIILION of $$$ to the Bidens... How Adam Schitt voiced his idea of the phone call—in COMMITTEE, which sounded ultra sinister, but then Trump released the actual transcript and shot the Impeachment full of holes? But Nanzi had it anyway, because hey, Trump was messing with a candidate! The horror! Eventually the Senate killed it, because it was bogus and the phone call was legitimate, but Biden never did pay for HIS crimes. But hell, no, they weren’t done with going after Trump.

These charges are as bogus and wrong as impeachmentS were! People without an agenda can see that.

I like DeSantis, and I think he’d be a fine President (compared to any democrat) someday.

But if your blind hatred of Trump lets them get away with railroading their chief political opponent, then you are just another enabler of the murder of this Republic.

The fight has been rigged. You have identified what I would describe as “the ends justify the means “. The Dems have used this since Alinsky taught them. Conservatives hold that the means (our institutions and founding docs) should still be followed. Unfortunately, doing so might make them a suicide pact. I’m not liking agreeing to overlook legal transgressions, but justify doing so because they’ve been “Trumped up”.

Tell me, is Trump a criminal?

He has not lost a criminal court case that I know of, only civil ones, so no, I don't think he's a criminal. And I've not seen enough evidence yet that convinces me he is, outside of the court. I think these DOJ cases are likely fabricated, or in gray areas of the law, at best. Certainly nothing criminal to the extend that Hillary or Joe Biden have exhibited.

But, those being polled in this poll apparently didn't give it the same level of thought that you and I did. Maybe they're even former Democrats, who Trump pulled over, since we always hear how good he is at that. But they said even though they believe he's guilty of serious federal crimes, they still want him as our leader. That's who I'm calling out. Because these people are dangerous.

But if your blind hatred of Trump lets them get away with railroading their chief political opponent, then you are just another enabler of the murder of this Republic.

I don't hate Trump, at all. I was a huge supporter of him here on this site for years. I've also said many times I will vote for him if he's our nominee. And I've said I hope he can prevail in these trials. I think it's good he FINALLY created a legal defense fund. He may get more donated to that than his re-election campaign, because even foreigners can donate to that. We will soon find out, because they are separate. But just because someone may want him to win in these trials, doesn't necessarily mean they think he can win the election in '24.

According to all these polls, about 50% of all Republicans feel this way. Sorry if that sets you off, but there are reasons we turned away from Trump as our preferred candidate, over the last few years. Most of them were his decisions, and his inability to make any inroads in the swing states, not any potential crimes. Thanks.

You have identified what I would describe as “the ends justify the means “.

Yes, that's another great cliche to describe what I'm getting at. Those in this poll that we're speaking of would be guilty to that sort of thinking.

I’m not liking agreeing to overlook legal transgressions, but justify doing so because they’ve been “Trumped up”.

And that's obviously different, and understandable. You don't believe he's guilty of the Trumped up charges. But you are inferring if he had done something that was blatantly illegal, and proven in court (which we're nowhere near at this point, and hopefully will never be), at that point you very well could cut your ties. Those that would not, is who I'm referring to in this poll, not people like you. Thanks.

Thank you AB. You are a treasured friend here who I greatly respect for your dedication to the Sunday thread, for which you have done a completely amazing job for literally 2 decades now. I read it each week and hope your back is better.

And admittedly I am not a Trump supporter, anymore, just not a hater. He has just frustrated me to no end, so I do vent at him or his supporters quite a lot, just like they vent at me. It’s a trying time for us. I just don’t want us to “turn to the dark side” like these being polled seem ready to do. It’s not necessary, and we should all be trying to protect ourselves from evil, and lead others into the light of what’s good and just, by example. It’s the only way it will endure.

Highest Regards.

He’s a fighter.
That’s all I care about and nothing will lessen my support for the man"

Same here! He's the only one who can defeat the MASSIVE corruption of the CRIMINAL government (And they know it-Hence their ever-more-bizarre attempts to stop him from being on the ballot).

Those running against him are, IMO, either ignorant about what is going in this country (in which case they need to get informed and WTF up), compromised, greedy, (took payoffs from DS), or criminals themselves.

They don't care that this nation has been infiltrated by enemies who are in the process of destroying it.

If they did care at all, they would stop lying to the public, by acting like 2020 election was legitimate, (It was a coup.), and that 2024 is a normal election, (It is not.), drop out, and back President Trump.

We have a country to save!

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