In the aftermath of the guilty verdict handed down to former President Donald Trump, Republicans are rallying behind him against the political witch hunt Democrats have conjured.
As the country awaits Trump’s July 11 sentencing, political pollster Frank Luntz warns what might happen if the court sends him to prison.
During an interview with Sky News, Luntz cautioned against handing down Trump a harsh sentence just months before the 2024 presidential election. He suggested that it would create a “martyr” out of him as Trump’s support increased in the polls just hours after 12 jurors found him guilty.
“Focus group respondents feel there would be riots in the streets. There are real concerns that the results of this case could bring a level of violence we’ve never seen in American democracy,” Luntz said.
“Just the fact that he has been found guilty of 34 felonies is something that we are not used to. The public is looking at this, shrugging their shoulders, and saying, ‘How the hell did we get here?’ He continued.
In addition, Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz predicted Trump's conviction will begin a "war of weaponization" of the U.S. criminal justice system.
He explained that his disappointment and frustration lies with the 12 jurors who found Trump guilty, saying that they were "hand-picked by the judge and by the prosecutor to be anti-Trump."
"These were ‘get Trump’ jurors," he said.
According to a poll conducted by the Daily Mail and J.L. Partners, 22 percent of voters now view Trump more favorably, while only 16 percent view him more negatively.
The poll also found a four-point net positive impact for Trump among independent voters, proving that the sham trial could have a "reverse effect” and backfire on Democrats.
The Trump campaign warned President Joe Biden to “buckle up” now that he can hit the campaign trail after Judge Juan Merchan put a “freeze” on him leaving New York during the six-week “sham" and “rigged” trial.
“Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrats confined President Trump to a courtroom for more than eight hours a day for more than six weeks, and he’s still winning," Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "Now that he is fully back on the campaign trail, Biden and the Democrats better buckle up.”
However, the “freeze” didn’t stop Trump from rallying supporters— even in the deep blue state of New York.
A few weeks ago, Trump held a rally in the Bronx, one of the most Democrat-leaning areas in the state. Tens of thousands of people showed up in support of Trump, chanting “Four more years!”