Gadarian Speaks to France 24 About Trump and the 2024 Presidential Race

June 12, 2023

France 24

Shana Kushner Gadarian

Political Science Department

Campbell Public Affairs Institute

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Crime & Violence

Federal

Political Parties

U.S. Elections

United States

France 24

Shana Kushner Gadarian

Former President Donald Trump faces multiple federal charges over his hoarding of secret government documents. The latest indictment allows his primary challengers—Florida Governor Ron Desantis, Former Vice President Mike Pence, and others—to claim Trump is unfit for office.

But they run the risk of alienating Trump's loyal base, whose support has only grown more intense since the Manhattan indictment.

"DeSantis would most benefit from Trump dropping out of the race but he seems to have calculated that they have many of the same potential voters so doesn't want to alienate them," says Shana Gadarian, Merle Goldberg Fabian Professor of Excellence in Citizenship and Critical Thinking.

"It may take someone like... Christie to shake up that narrative," she adds. "Christie's candidacy is about bringing the mainstream back to the party and he may see the benefit of attracting former Republicans who were turned off by Trump's presidency."

Read more in the France 24 article, "How Trump's federal indictment could impact 2024 race for the White House."