Poll Shows an Increase in Trump's GOP Lead Following Latest Indictment

Trump Expands Lead in GOP Despite Federal Indictment

Former President Donald Trump has widened his lead over the rest of the Republican presidential field, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in the latest national NBC News poll conducted since Trump was indicted on federal charges. The same survey reveals that 50% of Republican primary voters would consider another leader over Trump, which presents a window of opportunity for a rival candidate to obtain the GOP nomination. However, the poll shows that Trump's support among Republican voters has grown, while he still faces concerns from a majority of registered voters after his federal indictment on criminal charges, giving President Biden a 4-point lead in the first hypothetical general-election matchup for 2024.

Trump's Sizable and Growing Lead among the Republicans

Trump's lead over his Republican rivals has grown in the aftermath of his indictment on criminal charges, as per the NBC News poll. The survey indicates that 51% of national Republican primary voters consider the former president as their first choice in the upcoming GOP presidential nomination race, while Ron DeSantis came in second with 22%, followed by Mike Pence at 7%, and Chris Christie at 5%. However, when the Republican race is narrowed down to only two candidates, Trump gets an overwhelming 60% of Republican primary voters' support, while DeSantis receives 36%. A combined 77% of Republican primary voters believe that the federal charges against Trump in the classified document case prompted them either minor concerns (14%) or no real concerns at all (63%).

Trump and Biden's Reservations in the General Election

While the poll reveals that Biden is ahead of Trump in the hypothetical general election rematch, the survey also uncovers that majorities of all registered voters have reservations regarding both Biden's and Trump's physical and mental health. 68% of voters are concerned about Biden's ability to lead, while Trump faces a 55% unfavorable rating. Biden enjoys a lead among women (55%-38%), younger voters (65%-30%), Latinos (66%-26%), and Black voters (73%-20%), as well as independents (47%-33%) and those who somewhat disapprove of his job as president (50%-39%). Conversely, Trump still has the edge among white voters (51%-43%), rural voters (68%-26%), men (51%-42%), and whites without college degrees (60%-35%).

Concerns Among the Registered Voters

The survey shows majorities of registered voters have concerns about both Trump and Biden. 60% of voters are worried about Biden being re-elected for another four years, while 58% of the respondents are apprehensive of Trump being elected again. An overwhelmingly combined 49% of GOP primary voters want Trump to continue as their party's leader, while 29% believe that the GOP needs a new leader with better personal behavior and an approach different from Trump's. Despite 50% of GOP primary voters open to a leader besides Trump, his 49% is still deemed a robust starting number in a multi-candidate field.

NBC News Poll: Other Findings

The recent NBC News poll indicates that Donald Trump's lead has widened over the Republican presidential field, including Ron DeSantis, despite his federal indictment on criminal charges. While 50% of Republican primary voters would consider another leader over Trump, his support among Republican voters has grown. The poll further shows that President Biden leads Trump by 4-points in the hypothetical general-election matchup for 2024. However, majorities of all registered voters have reservations regarding both Biden's and Trump's physical and mental health. The survey suggests that both Trump and Biden face challenges in securing their candidacies for the upcoming presidential elections, with a combined 49% of GOP primary voters favoring Trump to continue as their party's leader.

For a new business, the primary takeaway is, while a tainted image of a company's leader(s) can significantly affect the business's operations, it may not necessarily result in the loss of customer base. In the case of the NBC News poll, despite Trump's being under federal indictment, Republican voters' support for him continued to grow. This development shows that while business owners should strive to build a positive image of themselves and their organization in the eyes of their customers, the opinions of a loyal customer base may not change, even in the face of negative news. However, companies should keep a close eye on public opinion and evolving market trends and adapt their business models accordingly.