GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson predicts Trump convictions will boost election chances

PEORIA, Ill. - Just two days after former President Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson is in Illinois. 

On Saturday, Johnson said he believes the convictions will help Trump win the election. 

He was the featured speaker at a Republican Lincoln Day dinner in Peoria. 

Johnson acknowledged that Trump may lose some votes from people concerned about the felony convictions, but, he believes more voters will be energized, seeing it as a political persecution. 

"I'm telling you that's what I'm seeing anecdotally, as I'm out there with people, out in the grassroots, out in these states in the Midwest, they're feeling that. They're disgusted by what they're seeing and their support for President Trump has gone up. And look at the fundraising, we've had a record number of new donors come into the fold," said Johnson. 

A new poll conducted by Reuters found that a significant number of registered Republicans – one in 10 – said they are less likely to vote for Trump in November because of the felony convictions.