With protesters and news media gathered in the streets, Mr Trump reported to the Manhattan Courthouse, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts related to hush money and the alleged coverup. On his way to the proceedings, he posted on his social media site: “Feels so surreal – wow, they’re going to arrest me. Can’t believe this is happening in America.”
As the scene unfolded, Mr. Biden remained silent about his predecessor’s legal woes. But as he prepares to announce plans for another term, Democratic officials in battleground states said they would like to see a rematch of the 2020 race.
The legal turmoil surrounding Mr Trump is one reason Democrats feel excited about facing him. Other reasons include that Mr. Biden has defeated Mr. Trump once before, and that the former president inspires Democratic voters to turn out. They also say pairing Mr. Biden, 80, with Mr. Trump, 76, would ease questions about Mr. Biden’s age and abilities if he faces Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, 44. ,
Katie Hobbs, a senior adviser to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said on his 2022 election, “Hands down, Donald Trump.”
He added: “It’s not that I’m afraid of DeSantis. More to me, it’s the devil you know.”
Polls show Mr. Trump remains the dominant figure in his party, even as he faces civil lawsuits and criminal investigations. According to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, when presented with a list of potential GOP candidates, 47% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters chose Mr. Trump and 33% supported Mr. DeSantis, double digits for any other candidate. Support not found. In a straight matchup, Mr. Trump had 52% and Mr. DeSantis had 42%.
Nevertheless, Mr Trump’s indictment injects new uncertainty into the 2024 race, marking the first time a former president has faced criminal charges. The case could give Trump a boost in the primary contest with his loyal Republican supporters, but could drive away swing voters he would need to defeat Biden in a general election. Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing, and Mr Biden has declined to comment on the allegation.
A CNN poll taken after the New York grand jury reported the indictment of Mr Trump showed 62% of independent voters approved of the indictment.
The Quinnipiac poll, which was taken before Mr Trump’s impeachment, found that 57% of Americans thought Mr Trump should be disqualified from running again, but among Republicans, 75% thought he should not be disqualified. Needed The poll also showed Mr. Biden would be locked in a close race against either Mr. Trump or Mr. DeSantis. Among registered voters, Mr. Biden had 48%, and Mr. Trump had 46%, the head-to-head contest. In a separate matchup, Mr. DeSantis had 48% and Mr. Biden had 46%.
“I think Democrats in general are loving the idea of a rematch with Trump because it’s such a stark contrast,” said Matthew Munsey, chair of the Northampton County Democratic Committee in Pennsylvania. To demonstrate the qualities of a President.”
View Full Image
Some Democrats said they worried Mr DeSantis could be tough to counter, even as they expressed confidence in Mr Biden.
“I will stand by this President all day long. But I think DeSantis is a much bigger threat than Trump. “He’s a somewhat sanitized version of Trump and Trumpism,” said Jim Wertz, chairman of the Erie County Democrats in Pennsylvania.
Of course, if Mr. Trump wins the GOP nomination, he may actually win back the White House, which gives some Democrats pause.
“Ultimately, it’s up to Republicans who they want,” said Kim Gates, chair of the Kent County Democratic Party in Michigan. [upholds] The Constitution does not perpetuate the big lie, did not participate in the rebellion.”
A person close to Mr. Biden’s political team said it does not have a 2024 preference, but it looks good about the president’s chances against Mr. Trump or Mr. DeSantis. Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison said Mr Biden could defeat the Republican because of his record on entitlement spending, abortion and taxes. “It is a contradiction that we will expose and know that the American people will reject,” he said.
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Emma Vaughn said: “Ultimately the Republican nominee will beat Biden, full stop.”
Democrats said Mr. Trump and his candidate have now lost three national elections in a row. In 2022, candidates endorsed by Mr. Trump lost their statewide races in all battleground states except Nevada. Some Democrats have sought to promote candidates aligned with Mr Trump in the primaries, seeing them as easy to defeat. There is no evidence of Democratic efforts to raise Mr. Trump in 2024.
In Arizona, Mr Biden won the state in 2020, the first time a Democratic presidential nominee had won it since Bill Clinton. Last year, all four major statewide candidates were endorsed by the former president and echoed his false claims of election fraud. All four lost, while down-ballot Republicans who were not closely aligned with Mr Trump won.
Roy Herrera, a lawyer for Mr. Biden’s 2020 campaign in Arizona, said a Trump versus Biden matchup “would be a very good possibility for president, especially in Arizona.” Mr. Herrera said that once a Republican stronghold has moved away from Mr. Trump and the candidates aligned with him.
View Full Image
Democrats also said Mr Trump drives Democratic voting and contributions.
Alan Kessler, a longtime Democratic fundraiser based in Philadelphia, said Mr. Trump was a powerful incentive when it came to raising money in the 2020 presidential cycle.
“Any time Trump opens his mouth, you’ll have donors who will say, you know I was going to do X amount, I’m going to double that,” he said. “I, for one, would love to have a rematch for that reason. Although, I do believe, given the kind of things he did in Florida, if it is DeSantis we would probably have a similar reaction.
Whatever the opponent, Pat Dennis, president of the Democratic super PAC American Bridge, said its goal is to undermine GOP candidates during the primary process. He said the super PAC has developed opposition research books on 21 potential candidates.
For Mr Trump, he said the super PAC’s job is to be “very reminiscent” and to show Mr Biden a “contrast to the chaos of the Trump administration”. Along with Mr. DeSantis, he said the super PAC wanted to show his record in Florida on issues such as housing and health insurance, as well as his voting history in Congress on Medicare and Social Security.
“We are not here to choose the Republican candidate,” Mr. Dennis said.
While many Democrats expressed a preference for Trump, some said they would prefer DeSantis as their opponent because he could attack his stance on education and LGBT issues.
Bob Busch, an Isabella County Democrat in Michigan, said, “I would rather run against DeSantis and get it over with.” The Democratic Party can have a say on social issues.
Write to Catherine Lucey at [email protected] and Eliza Collins at [email protected]