In response to last week’s news that a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump, his 2024 White House bid has arguably become even stronger.
Not only did his campaign bring in millions in mostly small donations, but his lead over confirmed and likely GOP rivals increased.
At the same time, however, the anti-Trump wing of the party appears to have found a new candidate to support. Although she has not formally announced her intention to run for president, former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) has surged in popularity.
According to a Trafalgar Group poll conducted shortly after the indictment news broke, Cheney — a leading GOP voice against Trump prior to her resounding loss in last year’s primary race — attracted support from 10% of respondents. Prior to the latest Trump news, that number hovered around 5%.
Post indictment poll: Trump surges to a 33-point lead over Ron DeSantis
Trump — 56% (+12 from Mar 14)
DeSantis — 23% (-9)
Cheney — 10%
Pence — 4%
Haley — 4%
Pompeo — 1%
T. Scott — 1%Trafalgar (B) | 1,123 LV | Mar 31- Apr 2https://t.co/xSvJDDiVqK pic.twitter.com/EZa1fbdIZB
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) April 3, 2023
Among all of the potential candidates included in the survey question, only Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attracted more support.
While Cheney’s star appears to be on the rise, DeSantis has seen his support drop by 10 points to just 22.5% in the recent poll. Trump’s lead over the rest of the field is staggering with support from more than 56% of respondents.
Prior to the indictment, Trump support came in at just under 44%. He and Cheney were the only two individuals included in the poll whose numbers were higher compared to the prior survey.
During an event in October, Cheney made it clear that she would be considering a possible presidential campaign.
“I think 2024 is going to be really important,” she said. “It’s going to be crucial that we elect people that will defend the Constitution. I haven’t made a decision yet about what I’m going to do. We have a lot of excellent candidates. We have a lot of bad candidates too. So, I’ll make a decision about that in the coming months.”
Following her loss to GOP challenger Harriet Hageman in August, the former president chastised her, writing on Truth Social: “Liz Cheney should be ashamed of herself, the way she acted, and her spiteful, sanctimonious words and actions towards others. Now she can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion where, I am sure, she will be much happier than she is right now.”
As for her stance on Trump, Cheney declared that if he is the 2024 nominee, she will leave the Republican Party.
