Trump Maintains Lead in Polls Despite Legal Troubles and Debate Absence

Nikki Haley Emerges as Leading Anti-Trump Republican While Special Counsel Plans to Introduce Evidence of Trump's Election Lies in Trial

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is gaining traction as the leading anti-Trump Republican, receiving financial backing from donors such as Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder and Democratic donor, and the Koch brothers.
Despite skipping all of the Republican primary debates and facing numerous criminal and civil trials, Donald Trump still leads Haley and the rest of the G.O.P. field in polls.
Special counsel Jack Smith plans to introduce evidence of Trump's historical record of spreading election lies and his refusal to commit to the peaceful transfer of power in his federal election interference case.
Trump's campaign staff did not respond to queries about his absence from the debates, leading to speculation that he is avoiding a face-to-face encounter with other candidates.
Trump's comments about being a 'dictator' on Day One if re-elected have been met with criticism, with Biden's campaign stating that Americans should believe Trump when he says he will be a dictator.