WASHINGTON, May 31 - Donald Trump made history on Thursday as the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime. But his ultimate judgment won't come until November when he faces America's voters, who have decidedly mixed feelings about voting for a felon.
“Even if it's just 1% in swing areas, that’s not nothing,” said Lindsay Chervinsky, a presidential historian at Southern Methodist Universityin Dallas. "The real verdict is going to be Nov. 5 by the people," Trump said as he emerged from court."I am a very innocent man." Those voters include Mary Ing, 68, of Sun City, Arizona, who voted for Trump in 2020 and had told Reuters/Ipsos pollsters several months ago she would not vote for Trump if he was convicted of a crime.
“My choices suck this year," she said."But I am going to have to vote for the Republican candidate, whoever it is. I'm not voting for Joe Biden." The Reuters/Ipsos poll said that Trump is at the greatest risk of losing college-educated women, a longtime vulnerability. But with the New York trial over and none of the other cases likely to go to trial before November, the election could revert to somewhat normal rhythms and be determined by traditional issues such as the economy, abortion rights, border security and foreign policy.