since donald trump s efforts to overthrow the 2020 election culminated in a violent mob storming the u.s. capitol. for a few weeks, trump was an outcast. a political comeback seemed farfetched, almost impossible to imagine. and yet, thanks to his allies in congress and the maga movement on hold, donald trump has emerged here at the end of 2023 not nearly rehabilitated politician but as the undisputed leader of his party. now, trump began this year as the prohibitive favorite for the republican presidential nomination. even in january, he had a monster 20 point national lead over his closest rival, florida governor ron desantis. and in the months since, trump s lead has only widened. at this point, a rematch against joe biden appears almost inevitable. and yet, while trump s march towards the republican nomination this year was mostly interrupted, there has been for the last 12 months an x-factor that he has had to contend with, a series of criminal investigations. as the year