Biden’s Poll Lead Widens Despite Trump’s Legal Battles as Fundraising Soars for Both Candidates

Here’s my attempt:
Trump seemingly defied political gravity in winning the Republican nomination despite being under four criminal indictments this year, but there is little evidence his legal woes are helping him among voters beyond Republicans during primary season. While attention has turned to a New York trial over hush money payments, Biden’s polling lead against Trump has widened since both men secured their party nominations in March 2023, with some recent surveys showing the president ahead by several points. This is not what might be expected if indictments were boosting support for Trump, as a CNN/SSRS survey found that just over one-third of Americans believe he committed an offence in the New York case while only 42% believed he acted appropriately during his trial there. Higher shares thought he should face disqualification from office if charges related to other indictments were proven true, suggesting any bounce for Trump would have been evident by now had it materialised at all. A majority of voters said Biden was being treated the same as others accused of similar offences or that they did not believe there was a political witch hunt against him in an NBC poll last month. While fundraising has surged amid appeals to supporters’ solidarity with his plight, much may also be flowing out again on legal fees: Trump-affiliated committees have spent more than $75 million in legality costs and only the strongest inferences from existing reports hinted that spending is sustainable over four years. Nonetheless, Trump could still be a competitive contender against Biden in swing states likely to decide who wins the White House this November. However, given Biden’s approval rating of around 40% – which some see as surprisingly high for an incumbent at mid-term point – it is far from clear whether his supposed “positioning” necessarily presents any advantage worth highlighting or taking much note of.