This weekend saw former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie bring up the fact that former President Donald Trump has been indicted in federal court over his handling of classified material.

However, polling data suggests that by highlighting Trump's legal problems, Christie may be handing him a political gift. 

Christie blames indictment on Trump's "outrageous conduct"

"He’s indicted because of his outrageous conduct," Christie told CNN host Jake Tapper during a Sunday appearance on "State of the Union."

Chris Christie reacts to Donald Trump claiming that he is being indicted for you:

"He is a liar and a coward...He's indicted because of his outrageous conduct." pic.twitter.com/LBS6W7tgb2

— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) July 17, 2023

"There’s no other, of the 200 million Americans he spoke about, who illegally retained classified national secrets after being asked politely, quietly and professionally for 18 months to voluntarily turn them back over after he left the White House," the former governor said.

"He now has the opportunity to go to court and make the government prove that case beyond a reasonable doubt. But now he says he doesn’t want to have a trial until after the election in 2024," Christie insisted.

"I don’t think he’s doing that for us, either. He should resolve this thing before people vote, so that we know exactly who we’re voting for," the former governor declared.

Poll shows Trump's support grew following federal changes

Yet far from turning Republican voters off, a Hart Research Associates/Public Opinion Strategies poll found that Trump's indictment actually boosted his popularity.

Jeff Horwitt is a Democratic pollster for Hart Research Associates who helped carry of the survey, and he discussed the phenomenon with NBC News.

"Not only are they sticking with Trump post-federal indictment there are several signs that his support is growing or others are losing ground, particularly Ron DeSantis," Horwitt said.

Bill McInturff is a Republican pollster with Public Opinion Strategies, and he said that Trump's legal difficulties have left him unscathed.

DeSantis says Bragg indictment generated "a lot of sympathy"

"For the first time in history, a former president has been indicted, and we can’t find a marker in this survey that it’s had an impact with his standing," McInturff told NBC.

Meanwhile, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said in an interview with Fox News host Howard Kurtz on Sunday that Trump's earlier indictment by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had generated "a lot of sympathy."

"Look, I think, at the end of the day, the Bragg indictment just elevated him and it wasn’t so much that people were doing it because he was indicted. I think a lot of people, including me, believe that it was a miscarriage of justice," he added.