ABC host shocked by new poll showing Trump and Biden potentially tied despite Trump’s legal ‘baggage’

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos appeared stunned on Sunday by a 2024 election poll showing former President Trump and President Biden tied at 46% in a hypothetical rematch, calling the results “rather shocking” in light of the issues Trump’s growing legal cases.

During a segment on ABC’s “This Week,” Stephanopoulos referred to a Wall Street Journal poll released over the weekend showing that support between Trump and Biden was split in half, at 46% each if the he presidential election of 2024 took place today.

“In a way, it’s quite shocking that, despite all the baggage that Donald Trump is carrying, he’s tied with Joe Biden right now,” Stephanopoulos said.

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The ABC host said it appears the indictments against Trump are only strengthening his base within the GOP.

“With each passing month, with each new indictment, Donald Trump seems to be consolidating his control over the Republican Party,” he told viewers.

Respondents to the Wall Street Journal poll were asked about indictments against Trump, with more than 60% of those polled. Republican primary voters insisting that the multiple criminal charges were politically motivated and lacked merit. 78% said Trump’s actions after the 2020 election were legitimate actions to ensure an accurate vote. Only 16% said Trump illegally tried to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Former President Donald Trump takes the stage during a organizational event at the Fervent Calvary Chapel on July 8, 2023, in Las Vegas. ((Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images))

Despite the legal issues facing Trump, the survey finds that 59% of Republican primary voters support the former president in the race for the White House, an increase of 11 points since the outlet conducted a similar survey in april.

Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile said she finds the poll results alarming, echoing other Democrats who have warned it could be bad news for President Biden.

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“When I looked at this recent poll (from the) Wall Street Journal, I said, ‘this might keep me awake at night,'” she remarked.

In another TV interview on Sunday, CNN’s Jim Acosta reminded viewers that despite Trump’s “four indictments…he’s still tied with Joe Biden in the poll.”

Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Policy, told Acosta that the poll indicates Biden has his work cut out for him heading into the 2024 election season.

“Biden has work to do,” Sabato said.

Democrats say the poll could indicate Biden still has “work to do.” (Anna Moneymaker)

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New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker also referenced the poll in an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, noting that “after the photo ID and the four felony charges, you would think the President Biden would have (a) significant advantage, but apparently not”.

Fox News’ Hannah Panreck contributed to this report.

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