Time: “While the conventional wisdom suggests that a presidential candidate facing criminal charges and having been found liable for sexual battery would be anathema to the moderate voters who decide general elections, Trump’s cascade of legal troubles is creating a dynamic that both his allies and his adversaries recognize as helping to corral Republican voters to his defense. It’s also boxing in GOP challengers who represent the wing of the Republican Party that would like to move on from Trump.
Said David Axelrod: “He’s set up a construct where he’s being unfairly persecuted to try to stop him from running. So if you’re a Republican candidate, and you try to make the case that he can’t win because of all of this, you’re essentially embracing the alleged conspiracy Trump is promoting that all of this is meant to stop him from running.”
“Another component is that many Republicans simply don’t buy the notion that Trump can’t win in 2024.”
