Trump holds 13-point lead over DeSantis in hypothetical 2024 matchup: Poll
Cami Mondeaux
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Donald Trump holds an early lead over prospective primary challengers in the 2024 presidential election, with nearly half of Republican voters saying they plan to back the former president’s third White House bid.
About 46% of Republican voters who are likely to vote in the primary elections said they plan to back Trump, compared to 33% who said they will cast their ballots for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), according to a recent Morning Consult poll. Former Vice President Mike Pence fell behind with only 9% of electoral support, followed by former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) who garnered 3% of voters’ support.
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The poll comes just over a year before the presidential primary cycle is set to begin and as suspected candidates continue to mull a White House bid. Trump is the only candidate to announce his candidacy so far, but others have teased that an announcement might not be far off.
Although DeSantis has not indicated whether he’ll seek higher office in 2024, the Florida governor remains a popular choice among GOP voters as a Trump alternative. He and Trump routinely alternate sitting at the top of polls, with DeSantis occasionally besting the former president — especially in head-to-head contests.
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However, the GOP primary field is expected to grow beyond the two prospective candidates in the coming months, with Pence, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) likely headlining the growing field.
The Morning Consult poll surveyed 4,470 likely Republican primary voters between Jan. 6-8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.