Indecisive Voters Shift Support to Trump After Verdict, Fueling Surge in Donations

When the guilty verdict was announced on Thursday afternoon in that Manhattan courtroom, many supporters of former President Donald Trump pulled out their credit cards.

Voters who had been uncertain about the GOP’s three-time presidential nominee, had previously resisted him, or had never donated to a political campaign, decided to contribute following the trial and verdict which they viewed as politically motivated.

“I just made my first political donation in my entire life. Those that want to destroy this country left me NO CHOICE. Trump 2024,” Chandler Crump, a 19-year-old Billboard charting artist and self-described freedom fighter, posted on his X account.

It appears Crump was not alone in this action.

The WinRed fundraising platform used by Trump’s 2024 campaign crashed due to a surge in donations following the jury’s verdict. The jury found Trump guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records, charges brought by prosecutor Alvin Bragg, who campaigned for the office on a platform of targeting Trump. Despite the confusing nature of the charges, with even the judge being conflicted, the trial continued, regardless of a potential expert witness being blocked from testifying that there was no crime.

Over the past weeks, Americans and the world witnessed what many described as a politically charged trial against Biden’s political opponent. The goal appeared to be labeling Trump as a convicted felon as he prepared to challenge Biden for the presidency once more. However, Trump plans to appeal the verdict.

This conviction might be damaging for an incumbent whose poll numbers have taken hits with every indictment against his opponent.

“The American people see through Crooked Joe Biden’s rigged show trial,” Trump’s campaign posted on X shortly after the verdict. “Many Americans were moved to donate to President Trump’s campaign, causing the WinRed pages to go down. We are working on getting the website back online as quickly as possible. Stay strong.”

‘We Do Not Live in a Democracy Anymore’

For some independents and Republicans who grew weary of Trump in 2020, the last 3.5 years of political actions against the executive branch have rekindled their support for him.

Poet Joseph Massey shared on X that he “was never all in for Trump, always on the fence,” but Thursday’s events changed his perspective.

“I know I’m not alone. We do not live in a Democracy anymore. Trump is our only shot at regaining the country we’ve lost to anti-American scum,” Massey wrote.

Jonnie Burrito replied: “I don’t like him either but… I will be going door to door in my county to ensure everyone votes for Trump and the Republicans in November. Vote all Dems out! That’s my new motto.”

Jon Tveten added, “At this point, we really don’t need a nice guy.”

Politico reported that Trump aims to “spin guilty into gold,” noting the campaign’s fundraising efforts.

“The opportunity to monetize the verdict comes as Trump’s campaign still has significantly less cash than President Joe Biden’s, even after a stronger fundraising haul in April,” the publication observed. At the end of April, Trump’s campaign trailed Biden’s by $35 million ($49 million to $84 million).

Trump didn’t need to try hard; the trial itself fueled support.

“With the verdict now, I think you will see the grassroots fully mobilized. Supporters will contribute more, and those on the sidelines will rally against what they view as an injustice,” Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and former Trump administration appointee, told Politico.

‘The Right Thing to Do’

Major donors are also contributing.

About 15 minutes after the verdict, tech investor Shaun Maguire, a partner at Sequoia Capital, donated $300,000 to Trump’s campaign. Maguire said he had previously believed negative media portrayals of Trump and voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, while not voting in 2020. However, he now feels this is one of the most critical elections of his lifetime and decided to support Trump.

“I know I’ll lose friends and some business relationships. The media will likely demonize me, as they have others. But despite this, I believe it’s the right thing to do,” he posted on his X account.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who had a brief disagreement with Trump over her support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, said Democrats “overplayed their hand.”

“We’re going to fight back, and ultimately, the people in November will have the final say,” Reynolds told me during an interview on the “Simon Conway Show” on News Radio 1040 WHO in Des Moines. “I don’t think they [Democrats] will get the result they want.”

The result desired by the left is their political enemy in prison and their candidate in the White House. But Trump’s poll numbers have risen despite the numerous indictments, much to the surprise and frustration of many in the media.

How did Biden respond to Thursday’s verdict? Likely with the confidence of someone who believes he still controls the electoral scene, coupled with a fundraising appeal.

“There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box,” Biden posted on his X account. “Donate to our campaign today.”

The statement from Biden’s campaign insisted, “In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law.”