A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Monday showed an overwhelming majority of Republicans, 81 percent, believe the criminal charges against Trump are politically motivated.
The poll also showed him well ahead of his closest rival in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
It showed 43 percent of Republicans said Trump was their preferred candidate, while 22 percent chose his closest challenger, Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida.
The rest of the Republican camp, including Trump’s Vice President Mike Pence, polled in the low single digits.
Trump’s Republican rivals face a dilemma over whether to support or criticize him as his legal woes appear to dominate the nomination contest.
Pence called the allegations against Trump “a very serious matter.”
He added: “I cannot defend what is alleged against them.”
But Trump supporters said they expected his popularity among Republicans to rise.
Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Megachurch in Dallas said, “I thought there was going to be almost a civil war in the Republican Party over the nomination, but that quickly turned into an unconditional surrender. People absolutely love this president , and I think their base will come out.”
