Support for former President Donald Trump surged following his conviction on Thursday of more than 34 counts of trying to sway the 2016 election by paying off an alleged mistress, according to one poll taken right after the verdict.
The Daily Mail reported on Friday that its “snap poll” conducted after the guilty verdict was rendered in Manhattan only improved Trump’s standing with likely voters.
The Daily Mail found that 22% of those voters reported having a “more favorable” view of Trump after the verdict, compared to 16% who claimed the trial’s outcome turned them away from Trump.
Read: Florida Politicians Weigh In On Trump Conviction “This Is Long From Over”
The rest of the respondents said the verdict had no effect on their perceptions of Trump, whether they already supported him or not.
“That six-point net positive result is another sign of the way the businessman-turned-politician seems able to ride out crises that would sink anyone else,” the Daily Mail noted.
“In a tight election, it could be enough to get him across the finish line.”
The Daily Mail’s pollster, James Johnson, also noted that Trump’s favorability showed a net gain of four points among independent voters, which, as the outlet noted, is “the group that could decide who is the next president in November”
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“Amongst those who are open to changing their mind, people feel more positive by a margin of 6 points. That is outside of the margin of the error of the poll and we are saying that is significant,” Johnson told the Daily Mail.
“It extends to Independent voters too. Look at the explanations and it is clear why: people feel it was a politically motivated trial and view Trump as a ‘fighter’ against what they see as injustice.”
“We will see how it translates into the voting intention polls in the coming days and weeks,” Johnson added. “But going by this poll we might not see much change in terms of the fundamentals of this race.”
Trump’s legal team plans to appeal, and the former president himself had already picked up on the vibe from voters that Johnson indicated.
Read: Florida Rep. Mills Calls For GOP Action, Nominating Trump Before Sentencing Date
“This was a rigged, disgraceful trial,” Trump said on Thursday as he left the courtroom. “The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people.”
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