Majority Backs Trump, Even If Convicted

A majority of Americans said that they would support former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden even if the former president was convicted of criminal charges in a court of law. The survey came amid a number of recent polls that showed Trump leading Biden both nationally and in most of the crucial swing states that will probably decide the election.

Biden has struggled with historically low approval ratings during most of his term, especially since the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. A majority of Americans have said in recent polls that they disapprove of Biden’s handling of issues such as inflation, the economy, crime and the border.

According to the latest Harvard Caps/Harris poll, Trump enjoyed high support from the public. When asked who they would support if Trump was convicted on charges of alleged handling of classified documents, 54% of respondents said that they would support the former president compared to 46% who said that they would support Biden.

Furthermore, a majority of the public expressed doubt that Trump would be convicted of anything at all. A full 53% said that they do not believe Trump will be convicted of any crimes. Another 54% said that his legal issues were motivated by politics.

The former president currently leads Biden by almost 2% in the current RealClearPolitics polling average.

This includes Trump’s leads in five of the last eight major national polls. Biden leads in two by 1% and 2%, respectively and the two candidates are tied in a recent Morning Consult poll. However, Trump has shown considerable strength in recent months.

Among the recent polls, the former president leads by 7% according to a Grinnell/Selzer poll taken this month as well as 4% in a Forbes/HarrisX poll taken earlier in March.

Another recent poll showed that the former president led in a series of swing district polls, including in states that will likely be critical in deciding the Electoral College.

Biden has shown weakness in a number of Rust Belt states that Trump won over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, including Michigan. The president is suffering from reduced approval among Black and Muslim American voters, which could tip the balance in Trump’s favor.

CNN poll in Michigan:

2-Way
Trump 50
Biden 42

Trump leads in RCP Average by 3.9%https://t.co/jxZgi2X36m pic.twitter.com/xfMXAlouiN

— Tom Bevan (@TomBevanRCP) March 22, 2024