FiveThirtyEight’s top stories this week

A [FiveThirtyEight]( email [Popular This Week] Sunday, June 11, 2023 [1. How Other Candidates Are Reacting To Trump’s Federal Indictment]( [Chris Christie Attends Town Hall Event In New Hampshire]( Former President Donald Trump is reportedly facing multiple felony charges as part of a federal indictment against him surrounding his handling of classified documents. This is only the second time in history a former president has been indicted (the first being Trump’s charges related to allegations of hush money he indirectly paid to Stormy Daniels) and the first time a former president has been federally indicted. This would be remarkable on its own, but Trump is more than just a former president — he is also an active candidate for president. These charges and the case surrounding them will undoubtedly have an impact on the campaign, and it won’t necessarily be bad for Trump. [Read more]( [2. Trump’s First Indictment Didn’t Hurt Him Politically. The Second Could Be Different.]( [Celebrity Sightings In New York City – May 31, 2023]( For the second time in less than three months, former President Donald Trump has been indicted. This time, it’s a federal probe in connection with his handling of classified documents. (His first indictment was by the Manhattan district attorney’s office on 34 counts of falsifying business records with the goal of disrupting the 2016 election.) Trump is scheduled to appear in federal district court in Miami on Tuesday. Sources have told ABC News that Trump will face at least seven charges, including corruptly concealing a document or record and conspiracy to obstruct justice. [Read more]( [3. The Supreme Court’s New Ruling Could Help Democrats Flip The House In 2024]( [Sen. Rodger Smitherman compares U.S. Representative district maps]( The Supreme Court just handed Democrats a massive victory in their quest to retake the House of Representatives in 2024. In a 5-4 decision that was as surprising as it was consequential, the high court agreed with a lower court’s ruling that the Voting Rights Act requires Alabama to draw a second predominantly Black congressional district. [Read more]( [4. Why Two Supreme Court Conservatives Just Saved The Voting Rights Act]( [0320_RobertsSpeech 4×3]( This term, the most conservative Supreme Court in modern history had the opportunity to gut the last major section of the Voting Rights Act. They didn’t take it. [Read more]( [5. Beating Biden Isn’t A Priority For Republican Voters In The 2024 Primary (Yet)]( [Former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a rally at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25, 2023]( Four years ago, the Democratic presidential primary was dominated by a concept nobody could clearly define but everyone could tell you was important: “electability.” Despite the challenges of measuring this amorphous trait, perceptions about who would have the best chance of winning the general election tended to boost older white male candidates at the expense of women and people of color. But regardless of whether you could quantify “electability,” Democrats clearly cared a great deal about it: Poll after poll found that more Democrats cared about nominating a candidate who could defeat then-President Donald Trump than one whom they agreed with on most issues. [Read more]( [6. Chris Christie Should Have Run For President In 2012]( [2024-TOC-CHRISCHRISTIE-4×3]( On Tuesday night in New Hampshire, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced he was running for president. But the announcement came about 12 years too late. [Read more]( [7. Mike Pence Is Starting His Presidential Campaign From A Historically Bad Position]( [2024-TOC-MIKEPENCE-4×3]( The American vice presidency, according to one of its former officeholders, is “not worth a bucket of warm spit.” But for a worthless office, the vice presidency has certainly produced a lot of presidents: Though John Nance Garner, the former VP credited with the colorful aphorism never reached the White House, a number of his fellow vice presidents have. Overall, the office has proven to be one of the most common stepping stones to the presidency — or at least to becoming a party’s presidential nominee. [Read more]( [8. Why Doug Burgum Could Surprise In The 2024 Republican Primary]( [2024-TOC-REP_Doug Burgum_4x3_v02_dnl]( It’s high season for glossy campaign videos and American flag bunting. In the last 16 hours, three Republicans have announced they’re running for president — an unfortunate syzygy for candidates whose meticulously crafted messages are now in danger of getting drowned out. And with his virtually nonexistent national profile, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum likely has the most to lose from sharing the news cycle with former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. On the other hand, he may not care too much: Thanks to his deep pockets (and the other candidates’ lackluster prospects), Burgum may have the most upside of the three. [Read more]( [9. Why Some Republican Candidates Might Not Make The Debate Stage]( [Republican presidential candidates before a debate in 2016]( Whether they’re generating news coverage or raising money (or, in recent years, eyebrows), debates are a critical part of the presidential primary calendar. A great performance can help a lesser-known candidate gain ground in the polls and expand their fundraising reach, while a poor showing can mark the beginning of the end — or the end, period — for someone’s presidential aspirations. [Read more]( [10. Abortion Is Already Tripping Up The 2024 Republican Candidates]( [A pro-life demonstrator holds a sign with a photo of Donald Trump that reads "Most Pro-Life President Ever."]( Ask six Republican candidates for president whether they think there should be a national ban on abortion, and you’ll get at least seven different answers. In just the past two months, current and prospective candidates have committed at various points to the general idea of a federal bans on abortion (maybe 15 weeks of pregnancy), said it’s a states’ rights issue but they’re looking at “alternatives,” expressed support for six-week bans at the state level while declining to say whether they think a national version would be appropriate, and said they support efforts to get a widely used abortion drug “off the market.” [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Listen [Play]( [Emergency Podcast: Trump’s Indictment, The Sequel]( [FiveThirtyEight] [View in browser]( [ABC News]( [Unsubscribe]( Our mailing address: FiveThirtyEight, 47 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023.