Trump and Tucker Carlson
As you may have heard, former President Donald Trump is skipping Wednesday night's GOP debates, and will instead appear for an interview with Tucker Carlson - where the pair will undoubtedly upstage the current crop of GOP candidates, who according to current polls, have no chance in hell of receiving the Republican nomination.

Former President Donald Trump confirmed in a social media post that his interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson will be released tonight (Aug. 23), just before the network's Republican presidential primary debate.

The former president announced on Truth Social that his previously recorded interview with Mr. Carlson will broadcast at 9 p.m.

"Sparks will fly," President Trump wrote in his post about the interview, which will reportedly stream on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"Many people are asking whether or not I will be doing the DEBATES?" Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
"ALL AMERICANS have been clamoring for a President of extremely High Intelligence. As everyone is aware, my Poll numbers, over a 'wonderful' field of Republican candidates, are extraordinary. In fact, I am leading the runner up, whoever that may now be, by more than 50 Points. Reagan didn't do it, and neither did others. People know my Record, one of the BEST EVER, so why would I Debate? I'M YOUR MAN. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Of note, the former president now holds the largest lead over his rivals according to a CBS News poll released on Saturday, while his nearest rival - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - has fallen even further behind.
Republican poll
When it comes to Trump's multiple indictments, it's clear the right sees them as nothing more than a partisan attempt to dislodge him from the 2024 race. And with each new charge, Trump's status as a martyr (and ratings) continue to rise.
First, as was the case with Trump's previous indictments, Republican primary voters' overwhelming concern about the Georgia charges is that they're politically motivated.

They dismiss the premise of the charges: the bulk of them do think Trump tried to stay in office, but to them, it was legal and constitutional because these Republican primary voters overwhelmingly think President Biden didn't win legitimately. -CBS News
When asked whether the GOP candidates should argue the case for themselves, 91% agreed, vs. 9% who said they should talk trash against Trump.
Poll
What's more, around 75% of Trump voters are those who "show support for his legal troubles" as their rationale, while 99% say that "things were better under Trump."
Poll on Trump
Trump voters also generally believe Trump is telling the truth (duh), which is why the indictments aren't having an impact in support among his base. Voters who say they place top importance on a candidate being "honest and trustworthy" picked Trump at 61%, followed by DeSantis at 17%.
The context here is that Republican primary voters believe the political system is corrupt at an even higher rate than Americans overall do. That could mean perceiving Trump as railing against — or prosecuted by — that system might well make him seem, from their perspective, like the one telling a larger truth.
Poll on Trump
And when it comes to who voters think has the best chance of beating President Biden, it's once again Trump in a landslide.
Trump landslide poll
Beat Biden poll
Is there a path forward for the other candidates?

Perhaps if they get used to being called "Mr. Vice President," if Trump should pick them.