New Poll Shows Trump Expanding GOP Lead After Latest Indictment

A new NBC News poll shows former President Donald Trump has expanded his lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican field for the party's 2024 presidential nomination following his latest indictment on federal criminal charges.

The poll, which was conducted June 16-20, showed that 51% of Republican primary voters said they would vote for Trump if the primary for president were being held today, an increase from 46% of respondents during a previous poll conducted in April. DeSantis, who had the support of 31% of respondents in April, dropped to 22%.

The survey did, however, find that half of Republican primary voters would consider a candidate other than Trump, though 6 out of 10 GOP voters believe his indictments are politically motivated.

“For the first time in history, a former president has been indicted, and we can’t find a marker in this survey that it’s had an impact with his standing,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies, who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates, via NBC News.

“Not only are they sticking with Trump post-federal indictment, “there are several signs that his support is growing or others are losing ground, particularly Ron DeSantis," added Horwitt while discussing GOP voters.

Trump is still reported to be trailing President Joe Biden in the latest NBC News poll, which reports that 55% of independent voters said they were concerned about the former president's indictment on federal charges. The survey also showed concerns over the mental and physical health of both Trump, 77, and Biden, 80, as well as reservations regarding either serving another four-year term as president.