In the wake of former President Donald Trump’s historic felony conviction in New York, prominent voices within the Republican Party are rallying around him, suggesting that the verdict is unlikely to significantly change the broad support he enjoys within the party.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called Thursday “a shameful day in American history,” while Sen. Marco Rubio, a potential contender for Trump’s VP pick, labeled the verdict a “travesty that makes a mockery of our system of justice.” Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson insisted that the “judicial system has been weaponized to go after Presidents for political gain.”
The latest ABC News-Ipsos poll, conducted before the verdict, found that 80% of Trump’s supporters said they would continue to back him even if he were convicted of a felony in this case. Only 20% said they would either reconsider their support (16%) or withdraw it (4%).
While these figures could fluctuate now that a felony conviction is a reality, little has shaken Trump’s stranglehold on the Republican Party thus far. Supporters are expressing their anger, sadness, and dedication to right the perceived wrongs in the nation, with some who have never voted for or donated to Trump before now pledging to do so in light of the verdict.
The Trump campaign has already begun to fundraise off the ruling, a clear attempt to capitalize on the jurors’ decision. This unconventional approach suggests that the campaign believes the conviction will galvanize support rather than diminish it.
As the nation grapples with the unprecedented situation of a convicted felon potentially leading a major party’s presidential ticket, it remains to be seen how the verdict will ultimately impact Trump’s electoral prospects in November.
