TOLEDO, Ohio — Former President Donald Trump's conviction Thursday on 34 felony counts in a hush money trial shocked many, including party leaders in Lucas County.
Whether you're a Republican or Democrat, there's an agreement that the verdict was historic, being the first for a former American president.
The conviction's bearing on the presidential election in November could be even more historic, says Barbara Orange, chair of the Lucas County Republican Party.
She believes the verdict will only drum up more support for Trump.
"I believe this will be rectified in November with voter turnout," Orange said. "I think the American people will see what happened in the next month or two with these charges. That's what we're going to work toward."
But Schuyler Beckwith, chair of the Lucas County Democratic Party, thinks it will have the opposite effect.
"He's gotten fewer voters in primaries," Beckwith said. "His own supporters are shying away already. I hope that this will help folks come to the realization that he is not the right person for us."
Political analysts like Sam Nelson, an associate professor at the University of Toledo, say the conviction may not have a significant impact on Trump's viability as the Republican nominee. However, it could pack a punch for local Republicans and how they handle the verdict.
"There's been I think an effect where Trump is not affected by things Trump has done, but people who support Trump have been affected by things Trump has done," Nelson said.
Trump even said it himself after his conviction: it comes down to voters in November.
So, how will the conviction impact them?
Nelson believes undecided voters will make the difference.
"I don't think anybody that was planning on voting on Joe Biden is going to switch because of this," Nelson said. "People who have been in Trump's corner since 2016, they're probably still in his corner. Where it's going to affect is at the margins. I think it could affect a relatively small number of voters but those are the small number of voters that are going to decide the outcome of this election."
WTOL 11 asked both party leaders if they plan on changing their messaging to voters following this verdict. Beckwith said no, and that the verdict will speak for itself.
Orange said the Republican party has not yet made that decision given the verdict is still fresh.