Trump rode that momentum and doubled down on the narrative with every indictment that he is a victim of political persecution.
“Trump also transformed the electorate of the Republican party into much more of a working class party with a lot of opposition to the centralised state in Washington,” Lipson added.
“The fact that he is being prosecuted by precisely that state, looks as if it ratifies so many of the things that he said negatively about the current US government.”
BULLETPROOF FRONTRUNNER?
Despite Trump’s notable absence at the first Republican debate, where eight presidential hopefuls took the stage in heated exchanges, the former president remains the top choice for registered Republican voters.
Recent polls have shown that his support actually grew despite the indictments, with a more-than-comfortable 20-point lead over his closest rival, Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
While Trump may still be riding high on popularity, Lipson said continued legal troubles may prompt some supporters to start examining the cases, or may cause fatigue set in.
“It’s uncertain whether voters will slowly take into account all of these mounting legal troubles,” he said.
“Over time, these (charges) may take a toll on Trump, both personally and politically, as voters begin to assess whether some of the charges are actually true.”
