In a highly anticipated event, former United States President Donald Trump and his Republican competitors in the 2024 race shared a stage for the first time. The event, known as the Lincoln Dinner, took place in Des Moines, Iowa, and saw Trump launch a new attack on his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Despite high expectations for DeSantis' campaign, he trails far behind Trump in the polls.

During his speech, Trump repeatedly referred to DeSantis as “DeSanctus” and warned the crowd of about 1,200 Republicans not to take a chance on him. Trump highlighted his achievements in office, including appointing three conservative judges to the Supreme Court and initiating the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

However, Trump's appearance at the event came amid mounting legal troubles. The former president is currently facing a classified documents case, and there is a possibility of a third indictment related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Addressing his legal woes, Trump told the crowd, "If I weren't running, I would have nobody coming after me."

One of the 13 Republican presidential hopefuls, Will Hurd, dared to raise Trump's legal challenges during his speech and accused him of "running to stay out of prison." Hurd was promptly booed off stage by the audience.

Trump's conviction on any of the 40 charges he is facing would not legally prevent him from seeking or holding the presidency. However, guilty verdicts could impose severe barriers on his ability to campaign or execute his duties in office. The question of whether a US president can pardon themselves of crimes would likely be settled by the Supreme Court.

Despite his legal troubles, Trump still dominates the Republican field and continues to gain support among conservatives. His lead over DeSantis is approximately 30 points, while the rest of the Republican candidates are languishing in single digits.

DeSantis and the other Republican hopefuls have yet to find an effective way to counter Trump's frontrunner status and legal challenges. DeSantis has refrained from attacking Trump over the indictments, fearing it would alienate the Republican base. However, time is running out for DeSantis and his rivals to stop Trump from becoming the nominee if they do not find a way to confront him directly.

The Lincoln Dinner event provided a glimpse into the dynamics of the 2024 Republican race, with Trump maintaining his dominance and his rivals struggling to gain traction. The upcoming months will be crucial in determining whether any candidate can pose a serious challenge to Trump's bid for the presidency.