Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hasn’t even officially launched his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, but his popularity seems to be growing with each passing day.
What Happened: About 40% of the Republican primary voters have sided with DeSantis in a nationwide hypothetical 9-candidate poll conducted by WPA Intelligence. About 1,000 verified GOP primary voters were surveyed for the purpose between Feb. 13-16.
The Florida governor had a clear nine-point lead over former President Donald Trump, who received the backing of the 31% of respondents. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who announced her candidacy earlier this month, was a distant third, with 8% support. About 8% of the respondents favored former Vice President Mike Pence.
Liz Cheney was the choice of 5% of the respondent.
Trump Vs. DeSantis In Head-Head Match: WPA’s poll also found DeSantis increased his lead over Trump in a head-to-head match-up. DeSantis has the support of 57% of the GOP voters, compared to 33% for Trump.
“President Trump is still liked by most Republicans, but our primary voters are pragmatic,” WPA Intelligence founder and CEO Chris Wilson, the New York Post reported.
“They like his policies, but feel the party needs a new face and leader.”
The results contrasted a Harvard/CAPS Harris Poll conducted between Feb. 15 and Feb. 16, which found that Trump extended his lead over DeSantis for getting the GOP nomination. The same poll also showed that if Trump stood out, then the Florida governor has a better chance of winning. Meanwhile, a Politico/Morning Consult poll conducted between Feb. 10 and Feb. 12 showed that about 69% of respondents say they favor a candidate who is under the age of 70, Trump is currently 76.
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