(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump is expected to turn himself in to be arraigned Tuesday after he was indicted by a New York grand jury last week. Despite the serious legal challenges he faces, new polling shows Trump’s political outlook may have been boosted by those very woes.
A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll shows that Trump’s numbers among Republicans have soared since the indictment, propelling him well past Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the assumed biggest threat to Trump’s chances, by 26 percentage points.
Trump has announced his presidential bid. DeSantis has not.
The same poll was conducted just two weeks ago and found Trump beating DeSantis by only 8 points, with 47% to DeSantis’ 39%. Polling earlier this year actually showed DeSantis beating Trump.
But the indictment appears to have shifted Republican sentiment in Trump’s favor, at least for now. In the Yahoo News/YouGov poll, Trump has 57% support to DeSantis’ 31% in a head-to-head matchup.
Whether that political advantage grows or diminishes throughout Trump’s legal proceedings remains to be seen.
Trump is expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
“I will be leaving Mar-a-Lago on Monday at 12 noon, heading to Trump Tower in New York,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial late Sunday. “On Tuesday morning I will be going to, believe it or not, the Courthouse. America was not supposed to be this way!”
Trump’s indictment has remained sealed, but media reports suggest there are dozens of charges.
As The Center Square previously reported, prosecutors presented evidence Trump allegedly paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels through a lawyer seven years ago and illegally covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.
Many Republicans have backed Trump, calling the prosecution politically motivated and attacking New York County District Attorney Bragg, the George Soros-backed prosecutor who is under House investigation and has become a focal point of Republican attacks in this case.
Trump has repeatedly blasted the prosecution in this case, calling it a “witch hunt.” He took to TruthSocial again Sunday night.
“The Corrupt D.A. has no case,” Trump wrote. “What he does have is a venue where it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to get a Fair Trial (it must be changed!), and a Trump Hating Judge, hand selected by the Soros backed D.A. (he must be changed!). Also has the DOJ working in the D.A.’s Office – Unprecedented!”
Bragg has taken fire for refusing to prosecute all kinds of violent crimes in New York, even as major crimes have soared in recent years.
“Alvin Bragg allowed Charles Lindsay, a notorious gang member, to walk free from four felony charges if Lindsay attended five ‘counseling sessions,’” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, wrote on Twitter. “But if you’re a Republican running for president, you’re held to a different standard of ‘justice.’”
