By a narrow margin, voters in an important swing state prefer former President Donald Trump to the man who wants to throw him in prison.
On Wednesday, Quinnipiac University released a poll showing that Trump holds a slight lead over President Joe Biden, 47 percent to 46 percent, among registered voters in Pennsylvania.
Trump’s lead over Biden swells to 14 percent among independent voters, 51-37.
In the Democratic primary, the poll shows Biden with an enormous lead over Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 71 percent to 17 percent. This should come as no surprise given Biden’s status as sitting president coupled with Big Tech’s brazen censorship of Kennedy.
On the Republican side, Trump leads Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida 49 percent to 25 percent, with other candidates polling at 5 percent or less.
Having withstood seven years of persecution by the deep state, Trump stands as tall as ever in the estimation of his supporters. Indeed, this poll shows that multiple indictments have not diminished the former president’s popularity.
A 14-point lead among independents also suggests that Trump has room to grow his support as his adversaries become more unhinged. Therein lies the hidden story of every 2024 presidential election poll.
In many respects, the coming contest feels less like Republicans vs. Democrats and more like The People vs. The Establishment.
It certainly feels that way in western Pennsylvania, where this writer resides. One would have to have grown up here to understand how the Trump phenomenon has effected a complete political transformation.
Lifelong Democrats who trace their party allegiance to the era of Franklin D. Roosevelt have embraced Trump with as much enthusiasm as any local Republicans.
In a general sense, there is nothing particularly new in this analysis. Political observers have noted for years that Trump draws heavy support from the former industrial working class.
Trump earned that support by arguing for America First. This struck many Democrats as a commonsense economic platform that coincided with their material interests.
Now, however, the basis of Trump’s support has changed. He no longer appears first and foremost as a pugnacious economic nationalist.
Today, Trump supporters believe that the former president stands between them and a deep state that wants to destroy everything they cherish.
Trump’s persecutors have raised the stakes. They have made him a martyr.
His most loyal supporters will vote for no one but him.
That is a sentiment few polls will capture.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.