Biden’s poll numbers are on the decline following the conclusion of the politically motivated lawfare trial that saw Trump convicted on 34 felony counts last Thursday.
New polling numbers from Morning Consult indicate support for Biden has dropped by two points since the Manhattan jury handed down a guilty verdict. Trump’s polling numbers were unaffected, with support holding steady at 44 percent since the beginning of May.
The poll included over 10,000 registered voters. Other polls have yielded similar results. An I&I/TIPP poll also showed declining numbers for Biden this month, with Trump support on the rise.
These numbers indicate a potential backfire for the Biden team, which used the trial and Trump’s convictions as campaign fodder.
The Biden campaign previously set up shop outside of the courtroom while closing arguments in the Trump trial were taking place. They enlisted actor and notorious Trump-hater Robert De Niro, along with two Jan. 6 police officers, to deliver remarks to the crowd. The Biden campaign insisted that the press conference was not about the ongoing trial while explicitly referencing the trial as reason to support Biden and oppose Trump.
“You’ve been incessantly covering this, day in and day out,” said Communications Director Michael Tyler, referencing the show trial. “And we want to remind the American people ahead of the next debate, the first debate on June 27, of the unique, persistent and growing threat that Donald Trump poses to the American people and to our democracy.”
Not only did Biden seek to capitalize on the courthouse’s media presence, he immediately campaigned aggressively on the verdict. His campaign issued multiple tweets celebrating the verdict, accusing Trump of “threatening our democracy,” and pushing out fundraising links.
President Biden: The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed. Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case. And it was heard by a jury of 12 citizens. 12 Americans, 12 people like you. Like millions of… pic.twitter.com/ieUwJn4hLq
— Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) May 31, 2024
Donald Trump is threatening our democracy. First, he questioned our election system. Then, he questioned our judicial system.
And now, you can stop him:https://t.co/ekIEq70PUl
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 31, 2024
Further polling indicates that almost half of Americans believe Trump’s prosecution was politically motivated. Amid this weaponization of the justice system, voters have thrown increasing support behind Trump. Actor Dennis Quaid shared this sentiment last week, telling Piers Morgan he would be supporting Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
“I was ready not to vote for Trump, until what I saw is, more than politics, I see a weaponization of our justice system and a challenge to our Constitution,” Quaid said.
Many others feel the same. Countless voters took to X to share that the trial had turned them into Trump supporters, and many reported making first-time donations to the Trump campaign. The WinRed platform crashed amidst a spike in Google searches for the former president’s fundraising platform.
If the Biden campaign hoped Trump’s felony convictions would bolster their reelection efforts, the public response to the trial is not living up to those expectations.
