Pence, Scott See Post-Indictment Boost As DeSantis Falters

Although former President Donald Trump’s polling numbers have generally held steady or even improved following his recent indictment on federal charges of mishandling classified documents, some of his GOP primary rivals are clearly hoping that the tides will turn in their favor.

There is some evidence that certain candidates have seen a meager boost in the polls since Trump’s indictment, but it has not been enough to push them out of single-digit territory. While pundits might suggest that Trump’s legal issues have given them an opening to make gains in a crowded primary field, it appears that their gains have come at the expense of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has seen his popularity diminish in recent weeks.

Nevertheless, candidates including former Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) are now tasked with making the most of their recent polling bumps.

Pence has taken a few veiled shots at his former boss and his numbers have increased from an average of 4% to about 6% over the past several weeks. He is attempting to position himself as a traditional Republican candidate in the mold of Ronald Reagan.

As one campaign aide added: “He’s also clearly articulated a number of areas where he’s distanced himself from Trump — First Step Act, entitlements, life, generally respecting the Constitution — that others seem unable or unwilling to do.”

For its part, the Scott campaign is chalking up his improvement — from 2% support prior to Trump’s latest indictment to 3.5% in the latest RealClearPolitics average — to the fact that his message is resonating with Republican voters.

“We always believed the more people got to know Tim, the more they’d be attracted to his message of restoring hope and creating opportunity for all Americans,” said campaign adviser Matt Gorman. “That’s why the left fears him the most.”

DeSantis remains Trump’s closest competitor, though, and despite losing a few points in the polls his campaign is still broadcasting an optimistic message.

“Despite Team Trump spending months and $20 million on false attacks against Ron DeSantis to try to knock him out of the fight, this remains a two-person race, and voters are not buying Team Trump’s lies,” said campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo. “They are terrified of Ron DeSantis and his ability to do the two things Trump couldn’t: beat Joe Biden and lead the ‘Great American Comeback.’”