A majority of Iowa voters said that they would still support former President Donald Trump in his campaign for the White House even if he was convicted of mishandling classified documents or election interference, according to an NBC News/Des Moines Register poll released on Saturday.
Trump is currently leading the Republican pack of presidential candidates in the Hawkeye state with an average of 52%, according to RealClearPolitics. Over 60% of Iowans planning to vote on Monday said that they would support Trump during the general election even if he is convicted during one of his trials in New York, Georgia or his federal trial in Florida, according to the poll.
Nearly 20% of Iowan voters said that a Trump conviction would make it more likely for them to vote for the former president in the general election, according to the poll. Only 18% said that they would be less likely to vote for Trump if he is convicted.
Among Trump supporters in Iowa, 35% said that a conviction would increase support, while 58% said it would not impact their decision, according to the poll. The former president is currently on trial for alleged election interference, allegedly mishandling classified records and allegedly falsifying business records.
A majority of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ voters, 70%, who responded to the poll claimed that a Trump conviction would not be an issue for them, while 26% said it may prevent them from supporting him. Over 50% of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley’s supporters indicated that Trump’s conviction would not alter their support in 2024, versus 41% arguing it would make them less likely to support the former president.
The poll was conducted on Jan. 7-12, 2024 and comprised of 705 registered Iowa voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.
The first Republican caucus starts in Iowa at 7 p.m. CST.
Kate Anderson on January 15, 2024
