Trump dominates DeSantis in GOP primary with crowded field: Poll
Ryan King
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Former President Donald Trump tops Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) in a recent survey of a hypothetical GOP showdown between the pair.
The Republicans in the survey backed Trump at 42% compared to DeSantis at 36% in a Quinnipiac University poll, indicating that the former president has a strong grip on the party as presidential buzz continues to surround DeSantis. That edge over DeSantis plummets considerably when the field is narrowed down.
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Recipients chose from 14 different possible contenders. Former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC), who became Trump’s first major declared challenger this week, clinched third place in the poll at 5%, followed by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Vice President Mike Pence, each at 4%.
A key finding of the Quinnipiac poll is that when the field whittles down to Trump, DeSantis, Haley, and Pence, Trump earns 43% support, compared to DeSantis’s 41%, Haley’s 6%, and Pence’s 4%.
The poll featured a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. It was conducted between Feb. 9 and Feb. 14 and surveyed 1,429 registered voters.
DeSantis has danced around questions about whether he will jump into the fray, but he is reportedly eyeing a possible summertime campaign debut. For months, he has routinely polled as Trump’s top Republican rival in a primary, even surpassing him in some polls.
In a general election matchup, President Joe Biden beat Trump 48% to 46%, while DeSantis barely topped Biden 47% to 46% in the poll. Biden is anticipated to declare his 2024 plans within the coming weeks, but the White House insists he intends on running.
DeSantis is now in second place among his 2024 GOP peers, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling aggregate.
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Trump launched his campaign last November and has occasionally unleashed his rhetorical fury upon DeSantis, who has strenuously refrained from getting ensnared in a heated back-and-forth with Trump, by pivoting to his record in Florida.
Meanwhile, DeSantis has mobilized to clinch policy victories in Florida by wading into hot-button culture war issues on education, social media, and more, further fueling speculation about his presidential aspirations.