Most GOP voters prioritize presidential candidate’s policy over ability to beat Biden: Poll
Jack Birle
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Most Republican voters said they would prioritize a candidate who shares their position on major topics over a candidate who could defeat President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election.
A new CNN poll of 1,045 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents found 59% prioritize a candidate holding their views over 41% who prioritize a candidate’s ability to defeat Biden.
MOST PEOPLE WHO LACK TRUST IN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS CITE POLITICAL INFLUENCE AS TOP CONCERN: POLL
The numbers are in contrast to Democratic voters before the 2020 presidential election, who believed defeating then-President Donald Trump was a priority over agreeing on major policy matters by a majority or plurality, in polls conducted between March 2019 and March 2020.
Those surveyed also expressed a lack of confidence in the future of the country, with only 30% saying the country’s best days are still ahead of it. The vast majority, 70%, believe the country’s best days are behind it, in stark contrast to Republican feelings four years ago.
In a poll conducted in September 2019, 77% of GOP respondents believed the country’s best days were ahead of it, compared with 18% who said its best days were behind it.
The poll, conducted from March 8-12, also has Trump leading Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), 40%-36%, with the next closest candidates, former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) and former Vice President Mike Pence, each garnering only 6%. When voters were asked who their second choice for presidential nominee would be, DeSantis led with 31%, followed by Trump with 20%, then Pence with 17%, with no other candidate receiving double digits.
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DeSantis has gained ground on Trump in some polls in recent months, as the two remain far ahead of the field of candidates and contenders in nearly all polls. Recent polls have shown DeSantis leading Trump in some states’ primaries, including in Florida and California.
Trump announced his run in November 2022, while DeSantis has not announced a White House bid but is expected to in late May or early June. The former president has taken aim at DeSantis several times on the campaign trail, but the Florida governor has mostly ignored Trump’s comments.