Criminal charges set Trump up for the big house — or the White House
While Trump's trials threaten his liberty, they also have helped put him on the verge of becoming the first Republican to win three straight presidential nominations.
A year ago, former President Donald Trump was at the low point of his roller-coaster political career.
When Trump announced his bid to win back the White House on Nov. 15, 2022, his hold on the party looked more tenuous than ever, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rattling a saber newly sharpened by winning re-election.
Trump's hand-picked candidates had just flamed out in midterm Senate races, depriving the GOP of a majority, and he took blame for Republicans underperforming expectations in the House — even as they wrested control of the chamber from Democrats.
By December, as he stared into a future of high-stakes criminal and civil trials, it was clear to allies that he was having trouble convincing donors to contribute to the web of political committees funding his campaign and legal defense. Trump's critics inside the Republican Party thought they detected the odor of blood in the water.
What a difference a year makes. If these tribulations have proved a nuisance for Trump, the trials have been a political boon for him — at least within the Republican Party. GOP voters, and many of their elected representatives, rally around him each time he faces new legal action. So, while the trials threaten his liberty and property, they also have helped put him on the verge of becoming the first Republican to win three straight presidential nominations.
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