Former President Donald Trump continues to lead as the GOP front-runner after being indicted on federal charges in early June, however, nearly half of GOP voters surveyed are skeptical over whether he should continue to lead the Republican Party, according to a new poll.
A new NBC poll shows a majority of Republican voters would vote for Trump in the Republican primary, with 51% listing him as their top choice. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second with 22% of the votes and former Vice President Mike Pence was third with 7%.
These new numbers come in comparison to how the candidates fared with GOP voters in April, shortly after Trump was indicted in New York in connection to hush-money payments made in 2016. About 46% of Republican voters supported Trump then and 31% said they were backing DeSantis.
After pleading not guilty to 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in June, a combined total of 77% of GOP primary voters said the federal charges gave them either minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns (63%). About 64% of Republican voters also said the various indictments and investigations Trump faces are politically motivated.
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These numbers are then compared to 55% of all registered voters who say the charges give them either major concerns (47%) or moderate concerns (8%).
Trump remains the GOP front-runner, even when poised in a hypothetical match against DeSantis, with 60% of Republican voters backing the former president and DeSantis receiving 36%.
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However, in a hypothetical Trump-Biden battle, President Joe Biden came out on top with a near majority of the vote (49%). Trump received 45% support. However, a total of 68% of those surveyed stated Biden’s mental and physical health was a major/moderate concern for them.
On the flip side, when asked if they agree with Trump remaining the party’s leader, nearly half of GOP voters said yes, with 21% saying they believed he was a good president but it was time to consider other leaders.
Trump appeared at a Miami federal courthouse in early June in connection to the classified documents case, marking the first time a former president has faced federal criminal charges. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice and false statements.
The former president slammed the federal indictment as “sham” and “election interference” by the Biden administration in a speech at his property, Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, after appearing in federal court, calling it “the most heinous abuse of power in the history of our country.”
Trump also slammed Special Counsel Jack Smith at the time, calling him a “deranged lunatic” as well as blasting Biden for having “his top political opponent arrested and charged.”
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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