Trump widens lead over DeSantis with record 54% support even as legal challenges mount

Donald Trump's lead among likely Republican primary voters has increased, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lags behind, according to a recent Siena College/New York Times poll. 

Trump enjoys the support of 54 per cent of likely GOP voters, while DeSantis only garnered 17 per cent, leaving a significant 37 percentage point gap between the two. 

This lead marks the largest margin Trump has achieved so far in the polls since mid-March, where he has consistently been the frontrunner.

Other potential Republican candidates in the running for the nomination, like former Vice President Mike Pence, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott each received 3 per cent support in the same poll.

Trump backed by a diverse group of voters

Interestingly, Trump's support extends across various demographic groups, including men and women, all age groups, income brackets, and geographical regions. 

He also maintains backing from voters with diverse educational backgrounds and those identifying as liberal, moderate, and conservative Republicans.

Watch: Capitol Riots: Donald Trump expects to be indicted 'any day now'

However, Trump's weakest points in the poll were among White college graduates, voters aged 30-44, and liberal/moderate Republicans.

Legal challenges mounting on Trump

While Trump continues to dominate the political field, his legal challenges continue to pile up. Fani Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, appears to be advancing with indictments in her investigation into Donald Trump's alleged election subversion. 

Additionally, in Washington, special counsel Jack Smith is expected to add charges related to election subversion to the 40 counts already filed against the former president for retaining classified records.

Also read: Georgia court dismisses Donald Trump’s motion to stop DA’s probe on 2020 election results

Moreover, Trump faces 34 criminal charges in New York over hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. A recent court ruling has also found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation against the writer E Jean Carroll, resulting in a $5 million order to pay. Lawsuits concerning Trump's business affairs are also ongoing.

Trump's campaign faces financial strain

As of the second half of the year, Donald Trump's political operations are facing financial strain, as tens of millions of dollars were spent on defending him from legal challenges while he aims to return to the White House. 

During 2023, Trump received over $53 million in donations, driven by his criminal indictments in Florida and New York, which acted as a fundraising rallying cry. However, he used around $42.8 million to cover legal expenses for himself, his aides and allies, leaving him with $31.8 million of cash in hand.

Trump's chances against Biden

Thanks to the massive lead Trump has garnered against DeSantis, he nonetheless looks well-ready to take on incumbent President Joe Biden in the upcoming elections. But, in these polls, he might be facing a really tough competition.

A recent Times/Siena College poll has revealed that both Biden and Trump are tied at 43 per cent support, while 14 per cent of voters are yet to make up their minds about which candidate they deemed better. 

However, elections are still 14 months away and it's hard to tell whether or not the race to the White House is going to be that close.