Tim Scott used similar language in an appearance on Fox News, decrying “the weaponization of the Department of Justice against the former president.” “The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society,” he wrote. Ron DeSantis, who received backlash after he briefly knocked Trump over the New York case, lashed out at the Justice Department in a tweet Thursday night. So far Trump’s rivals instead seem to be rallying to his side - an acknowledgement of his enduring popularity with the GOP voters they need to win over in order to snag the nomination.įlorida Gov. “This should be gold for Republican presidential candidates, should they choose to use it,” Heye said. Still, Doug Heye, another Republican strategist, said Trump’s primary opponents do have a major opportunity to argue that the former president cannot win in 2024 because of his baggage. “Because if they all defend him, they will relegate themselves to bit players in Trump’s drama and never get around to making an affirmative case for themselves.” “Does anyone have the political talent to seize this as an opportunity? Or will they all line up behind Trump?” she said. “I’ve certainly seen a ‘rally around Trump effect’ every time Trump is impeached or indicted,” she said, adding that much depends on the reaction of his Republican 2024 challengers. WATCH: ‘No one is above the law,’ Pence says after Trump indictment Republican strategist Sarah Longwell, a fierce Trump critic and founder of the Republican Accountability Project, acknowledged the indictment might ultimately help Trump seize the GOP nomination. The former president faces the possibility of still more indictments in Georgia and Washington, D.C., a prospect that could see him facing trial in four separate jurisdictions while running to return to the highest office in the land.įor now, the new indictment throws Trump back into the spotlight, dominating every news cycle and denying his rivals space to break through to voters, just as many have formally launched their campaigns. With these new charges, Trump’s baggage is only growing heavier. The Democratic president beat Trump in 2020 with a promise to restore a sense of normalcy to Washington after Trump’s drama-filled presidency. WATCH: New poll highlights sharp divide between Trump’s base and other voters And it reflects growing Republican hostility toward the federal government and particularly the Justice Department, which Trump has now spent the better part of a decade maligning.īut even if the indictment doesn’t hurt Trump’s standing with Republican primary voters, it’s far from certain that the broader set of general election voters, which includes independents and moderates in both parties, will be as forgiving next fall in a prospective matchup against President Joe Biden. It also illustrates just how effective he has become at inoculating himself against political fallout by setting expectations and controlling the narrative. The prospect that someone under indictment - twice - could somehow still be considered a viable presidential candidate underscores Trump’s grip on the Republican Party and the ways that he has fundamentally transformed democratic norms in America. READ MORE: What we know about the Trump documents indictment so far, and what’s next The sense from many Republican voters is that this is all about politics.” “This comes as a surprise to very few Republicans,” Newhouse said. He argued Trump has been effectively setting expectations for more charges for months. That’s no longer the case – particularly for Donald Trump,” Newhouse said. “In any other decade, this would be more than enough to kill a presidential contender in the crib. Republican pollster Neil Newhouse said the indictment would not fundamentally change Trump’s standing in the GOP or his advantage in the crowded 2024 Republican primary. READ MORE: Read the full Trump indictment on mishandling of classified documents But soon after he was indicted, there were clear signs that Republican voters may be willing to entrust him again with access to the nation’s biggest secrets and authority over the very laws prosecutors say he defied. Trump faces seven criminal charges, including the willful retention of national defense information, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Thursday’s news that Trump has been indicted again, this time on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents, may offer a repeat. There was no dent in his front-runner status after the state charges in New York. Even political rivals rushed to support him. history indicted on criminal charges, his reelection campaign saw a huge surge in donations. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - In March, when Donald Trump became the first former president in U.S.
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