Former President Donald Trump swept the remaining four primaries left in the Republican nominating contest on June 4 in Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey and South Dakota in spite of his conviction in New York City.
In Montana, Trump garnered almost 91 percent of the vote with 84 percent of precincts reporting, with 9 percent saying they had “no preference.”
In New Mexico, Trump received 84.5 percent of the vote, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley received 8.6 percent and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received 2.6 percent. In New Jersey and South Dakota, Trump ran uncontested.
But in Montana, an open primary state (unaffiliated can vote), and New Mexico, a closed primary state (only Republicans can vote), voters had the opportunity to cast protest votes if they so chose against Trump in light of his New York conviction, instead, the results were voters overwhelmingly choosing Trump.
Yes, there were a few votes cast against Trump, but the trend was no different than the primaries that had preceded the conviction. In fact, with four trials bearing down on Trump in New York City, Washington, D.C., Miami, Fla. and Fulton County, Ga. brought by Democratic prosecutors, Trump managed to sweep 49 out of 50 states for the Republican nomination.
That is, the entire time, voters have known that Trump was being prosecuted and could possibly be jailed ahead of the presidential election, and Republicans voted for him anyway. In the process, Trump set the popular vote record in a competitive primary by a non-incumbent (incumbent presidents tend to win all 50 states unless they’re in trouble) since modern primaries began in 1972, with more than 76 percent of the vote. The prior record was set by Al Gore’s 50-state sweep versus Bill Bradley in 2000 with 75.8 percent of the vote.
If anything, the case could be made that the trials against Trump helped him win the primary overwhelmingly with almost no opposition as a show of solidarity by Republicans. In other words, it united the party. If the goal of the trials was to make it more difficult for Trump to win the election, so far, Trump’s opponents are batting 0 for 1.
Now, the remaining trials and the conviction may yet hurt Trump, it’s just that there is not much evidence so far.
The latest Morning Consult poll of more than 10,000 registered voters taken May 31 to June 2 found that Trump was leading incumbent President Joe Biden 44 percent to 43 percent. That was an improvement on the May 31 flash poll by Morning Consult of 2,200 registered voters on the heels of the conviction taken that found Biden ahead 45 percent to 44 percent. That is, whatever advantage Biden might be deriving from Democrats prosecuting their political opponent may be fleeting — if there is even any advantage to doing so.
Whereas, the only defense Republicans appear to have against further prosecutions would be that jailing your political opponents is actually deeply unpopular among most voters. What other disincentive in a republic is there?
Cases might be filed with the Supreme Court or other courts, but they might not be heard in time. The Republican National Convention could be moved ahead of the July 11 New York City sentencing of Trump where he may in fact be jailed and be unable to accept the nomination in person, but then again it might not be moved.
No, the only defense within the framework of the civil society being presented to Republicans, independents and Democrats who do not want to live in a dictatorship where the opposition party leader is jailed is to vote for Trump in spite of the trials and conviction, to vote against the arbitrary and tyrannical acts of the state against Trump and Republicans.
Republicans have already made their choice: As a matter of self-preservation, they want Trump to be the party’s nominee in 2024, winning a record 49 out of 50 states for a competitive Republican primary with a non-incumbent running in spite of the prosecutions against Trump. It might be their only hope.
Otherwise, if throwing Trump and other Republican leaders in jail is in fact very popular in the United States, Republicans are dead. The two-party system will die in favor of a totalitarian democracy. The question for the American people is: Is that the country you want to live in?
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
