56% say indicted Trump should end 2024 campaign: poll

A majority of Americans think indicted former President Donald Trump should end his comeback bid for the White House — but Republicans overwhelmingly believe he should remain in the race, a new poll reveals.

The NPR/PBS/Marist survey found 56% of respondents said Trump should drop out of the 2024 presidential race given his federal indictment on 37 felony counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents. 

Conversely, 43% of citizens polled said he should remain in the race.

There was a gargantuan partisan divide.

Most Democrats — 87% — said Trump should end his campaign.

But 83% of Republicans want him to stay in the race.

More problematic is 58% of independents — a key swing group in the general election — said Trump should call it quits.

Still, nearly two in three Republicans and GOP-leaning independents — 64% — report they will continue to support Trump’s presidential bid if he remains in the campaign.

About one-third plan to support another Republican candidate.

Despite his legal woes, more than three in four Republicans and GOP-leaning independents — 76% — have a favorable opinion of Trump, up from 68% in February.

Many Republicans believe Trump’s argument that the Biden administration and prosecutors are unfairly targeting him.

“As former President Trump deals with his latest legal woes, Republicans are mostly standing with him, while Democrats are calling for him to exit the 2024 campaign,” says Lee Miringoff, Director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.

“Time will tell if this pattern holds, but for now, Republicans are grounded on where they stand on Trump regardless of these unfolding events.”

Trump is also facing state charges in New York.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to hush payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump has maintained his innocence in both cases.

The poll queried 1,327 respondents from June 12-14 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.