Why Trump's legal woes can't stop him from running

+ polling in the midterms: better but still spotty US Edition - Today's top story: No, an indictment wouldn't end Trump's run for the presidency – he could even campaign or serve from a jail cell [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 November 2022 [The Conversation]( Phew. Nine days after the midterm elections, we’re catching our breath on the politics desk. But it’s not as if we’re sitting here twiddling our thumbs. This week, the 2024 presidential election saw one candidate formally declare he is running. The New York Post headline about that candidate throwing his hat into the ring read “Florida man makes announcement,” and, adding insult to injury for a notoriously egocentric man, it ran that headline at the bottom of the paper’s front page. It’s former President Donald Trump, of course, whom the Post trolled, and with Trump the focus of multiple criminal investigations, we featured a story this week that answered the question on the mind of many: Does an indictment – or even a felony conviction – prevent a presidential candidate from running for or serving in office? “The short answer is no,” [writes constitutional law scholar Stefanie Lindquist at Arizona State University](. “Even in the case of conviction and incarceration, a presidential candidate would not be prevented from continuing their campaign – even if, as a felon, they might not be able to vote for themselves.” Today marks a change in my status after almost five years as the Senior Editor on the politics desk. The job has allowed me the opportunity to direct coverage of a tumultuous time in American politics, working with top-notch editing colleagues as we strove to get ahead of not just what was happening but, more importantly, why it was happening. I’ve seen how U.S. democracy has been challenged by forces that have threatened its very foundation. And even though there were good signs about the health of that democracy in the recent midterms, those forces have been growing in past years – and still exist. That’s why I proposed establishing a new position here at The Conversation, the Democracy Editor. And guess what? That’s what I am now, thanks to the wisdom and generosity of the people who run this place. Taking over as Senior Editor is [Lorna Grisby](, a top-notch journalist who comes to us after a long career covering government and politics in newspapers and radio as a reporter and producer. She also has directed national coverage of a range of topics as a magazine editor and manager. Naomi Schalit Democracy Editor Former US President Donald Trump speaks in Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov.15, 2022. Photo by Alon Skuy/AFP via Getty Images. [No, an indictment wouldn’t end Trump’s run for the presidency – he could even campaign or serve from a jail cell]( Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University The former president made little mention of his personal legal battles as he announced his bid to retake the White House. A prominent GOP poll said Democratic U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire would lose her re-election bid to a Republican. Hassan won by 9 percentage points. AP Photo/Charles Krupa [More spotty than spectacular: Election polls overall were hit-and-miss in 2022 midterms]( W. Joseph Campbell, American University School of Communication Polling for the 2022 midterms was more accurate than the dramatically wrong predictions of 2016 and 2020, leading one pollster to boast, ‘The death of polling has been greatly exaggerated.’ Members of the media prepare for Donald Trump’s announcement that he is running for president in 2024. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell [How the news media – long in thrall to Trump – can cover his new run for president responsibly]( Thomas E. Patterson, Harvard Kennedy School There is a lot about Donald Trump that makes him attractive to the public, and alluring to the media. A scholar of political journalism has some suggestions about how to cover him. [4 signs of progress at the UN climate change summit]( Rachel Kyte, Tufts University The biggest issues at COP27 involve financing for low-income countries hit hard by climate change. A former World Bank official describes some promising signs she’s starting to see. [Voter intimidation in 2022 follows a long history of illegal, and racist, bullying]( Atiba Ellis, Marquette University Any behavior reasonably calculated to dissuade a person from participating in an election is intimidation. [Guns on the ballot: How mixed midterm results will affect firearm policy]( Alex McCourt, Johns Hopkins University Two states had guns directly on the ballot in midterm election initiatives. Voters moved state laws in opposite directions. [Could Poland demand NATO act in event of Russian attack? An expert explains Article 4 and 5 commitments following missile blast]( John Deni, American University School of International Service Polish authorities are investigating what they initially believed to be a Russian-made missile blast close to the border with Ukraine. Later, the country’s president said it was likely to have been an accident. - [When the Supreme Court loses Americans’ loyalty, chaos – even violence – can follow]( Joseph Daniel Ura, Texas A&M University; Matthew Hall, University of Notre Dame What’s at stake when Americans lose faith in the legitimacy of the Supreme Court? - [A brief history of Georgia’s runoff voting – and how this year’s contest between two Black men is a sign of progress]( Joshua Holzer, Westminster College Runoff elections in Georgia have a racist past, but the contest between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker for US Senate is a sign of progress. - [Environmental justice has the White House’s attention, building on 40 years of struggle – but California suggests new funding won’t immediately solve deeply entrenched problems]( Tracy Perkins, Arizona State University Poor communities of color have spent decades battling US industrial and agricultural pollution. A new EPA office is designed to support their struggle, but history suggests reason for caution. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](