Trump loses SIX POINTS in GOP support after impeachment — but still leads DeSantis by more than 20%
Trump loses SIX POINTS in Republican support after impeachment — but he still leads DeSantis by more than 20%: New poll shows federal impeachment hurt approval, but he’s still the favorite
Donald Trump lost six points in Republican voter polls following his indictment, allowing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to close the gap between the two frontrunners for the 2024 presidential nominee.
The former president still has an impressive 47 percent of support among Republican voters, according to a CNN/SSRS survey released Tuesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis consistently comes in second, but is 21 percent behind Trump in the most recent polls.
When the same survey was conducted in May, Trump was ahead of DeSantis by 27 percent — 53 percent to 26 percent.
The biggest change between the May and June polls was that Trump received a federal indictment from the Justice Department with 37 charges against him in the case involving his handling of classified documents upon leaving office.
The charges include espionage law, which Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina says is an “overcharge” because Trump “is not a spy.”
A new poll shows Trump lost a 6% lead over Ron DeSantis following his indictment
The major change between May and June is that DeSantis officially announced his candidacy for president and Trump was indicted by the DOJ
Nearly two-thirds of Americans approve of the decision to impeach Trump, but a whopping 92 percent of Republicans think politics played a role in the indictment. Even 63 percent of Democrats say they feel the same way.
The CNN poll shows the rest of the overcrowded Republican primary field far behind Trump and second-place DeSantis — none earning double digits.
Ex-Vice President Mike Pence earned 9 percent, former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley provided 5 percent support among Republican voters, and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina was fifth with 4 percent.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, one of the most recent Republicans to enter the race, earned 3 percent, and all remaining candidates received 1 percent or less.
The candidates who failed to break the 1 percent mark include former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson; North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum; self-made biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy; conservative radio personality Larry Elder; mayor of Miami Francis Suarez; Dallas-based businessman Ryan Binkley; and Michigan businessman and failed gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson.
Initial polls following news of the indictment earlier this month did not appear to affect the former president’s standing among voters, but it now appears that the president’s response may affect his popularity.
DeSantis has since hit the campaign trail hard as well, going to all four early primary contest states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada in recent weeks.
The rest of the GOP primary field has so far failed to earn double-digit support against Trump and DeSantis
Florida’s governor has condemned the charges against Trump, sharing the GOP’s general disdain for the so-called “arming of the federal government” in pursuing Republicans.
“The arming of federal law enforcement poses a deadly threat to a free society,” DeSantis tweeted. “For years we have witnessed an uneven application of the law, depending on political affiliation.”
“Why so zealous about chasing Trump yet so passive about Hillary or Hunter?” he added.
Despite this, DeSantis has also begun to crack down on Trump in his campaign videos and at rallies around the country.