Whether you like him or not, when they rewrite the political history of the last 10 years or so, credit can be given to one Donald Trump for rewriting most of the political truisms that dominated the political arena prior to his grand entrance onto the scene.
A candidate running for office in the pre-Trump era was pretty much toast if he or she was accused of doing something illegal, immoral, or something so off-the-wall that the typical voter would look at that and decide not to vote for that person.
That was the norm.
Apparently not anymore if the latest polling data is correct.
Confronting 91 counts of crimes against him, former President Trump continues to break new ground on rewriting the political rules of the game while at the same time remaining competitive with incumbent President Joe Biden.
Voters in a Nexstar/Emerson College/The Hill Michigan poll were asked what impact it would have if Mr. Trump was convicted on the hush-money charge he is facing in a New York court.
To begin with, as he has done before, he has turned the charges into a money-raising opportunity with his loyal legions of die-hard Trump followers who have opened their check books which is helping to pay his, what must be, astronomical lawyer fees, for all these legal allegations he is facing.
And the judge in the case helped the defendant even more by declaring he had violated a gag order and before the ink dried on the unprecedented action against a former president, the well-oiled Trump solicitors swung into action and raised even more.
The survey revealed that 32% of the Michigan voters would be more willing to vote for the embattled Mr. Trump. You read that right: “more willing to vote” for him. Twenty-nine percent would be less likely to vote and 39% conceded the court decision would have no impact on their voting decision.
Or put another way 71% felt he should not be punished for his wrong-doing if that is the final decision.
The all important Independent voters, who will decide whom the next White House occupant is, checked in with 26% more likely to vote for Mr. Trump compared to 30% less likely and 45% with no impact at all. And again 71% rejected the notion that this conduct should disqualify him from being president.
Wanna bet that admitted womanizer/democratic frontrunner for president Gary Hart wishes he was granted such leeway with voters who made sure he did not get the nomination in 1988.
Clearly Mr. Trump is the benefi ciary of this new attitude which, he himself has described in terms of shooting somebody on 5th Ave in New York and voters would still support him.
Years ago had anybody been running for office told voters that, they would have jettisoned him from the political arena in a New York minute.
