GOP candidates privately 'grumble' about Trump’s legal problems 'not having an impact' on voters: report
The Iowa Republican Caucuses are less than two weeks away and former President Donald Trump has a seemingly insurmountable lead over the rest of his Republican rivals despite his numerous upcoming criminal trials. That's become a point of contention for the other Republicans jockeying for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, according to a new report.
CBS reporter Robert Costa reported Tuesday that even though the 45th president of the United States is having to spend the bulk of his 2024 campaign defending himself against 91 felony charges in three jurisdictions this year, the fact that his lead remains strong has confounded his rivals.
"Behind the scenes it's frustrating Trump's rivals that it's not having an impact on the primary race, but so few of them are willing to talk about Trump's legal challenges out in public," Costa said. "They grumble about it to us privately, and that's a real tell that they don't believe Republican voters care about what's happening for former President Trump."
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So far, Trump has three trials scheduled. His federal election interference trial in US District Court in the District of Columbia is slated for March 4, his New York state trial concerning alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels is due to begin on March 25, and his federal trial for allegedly mishandling classified documents is scheduled for May 20 in the Southern District of Florida. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has requested an August trial date for Trump's Georgia election interference trial, though no official date has so far been announced.
Costa reported that while Trump is almost guaranteed to win the GOP nomination, the former president possibly getting a guilty verdict before November in any of his trials will be the wild card in the general election.
"What's happening in the courts, especially with special counsel Jack Smith and his upcoming scheduled trial for March on Trump's conduct in and around the insurrection, that could complicate the general election should Trump sew up the nomination in the spring," Costa said. "If that starts in March or April or May, it will all come down to the Supreme Court and whether it decides to hear certain cases, and whether the judge in that case decides to postpone when that trial begins."
Watch the video of Costa's report below, or by clicking here.
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