Ron DeSantis is trailing behind in the polls to become the Republican nominee for President in the 2024 election...
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently launched his campaign to become President of the United States. However, polling data published by The New York Times shows Donald Trump is currently ahead as the preferred candidate:
"Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has struggled in recent polling, receiving an average across polls of around 20 percent among Republicans, falling far short of former President Donald J. Trump’s roughly 50 percent. The gap between the two men has grown steadily over the past few months, as Mr. Trump’s share has increased and Mr. DeSantis has lost ground."
Donald Trump Has Already Received Praise From Republicans
Donald Trump has received endorsements from several influential people within the Republican Party. According to FiveThirtyEight, he has the support of West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.
Senator Lindsey Graham is also supporting Donald Trump in 2024. "I know the downsides," he said on Fox News. "But let me tell you about the upsides. There are no Trump policies without Donald Trump."
Other notable figures that have endorsed Donald Trump include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin, and former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee.
"Former President Donald Trump has racked up more endorsements from prominent GOP officials than the rest of the current presidential candidates combined," per NBC News. "Trump has support from 51 House members, more than 20 percent of the GOP conference."
Ron DeSantis Is Fighting An Uphill Battle To Become Nominee
It's no secret that Trump has a huge lead in the polls right now. "The first one out of the gate, in what for now still looks like a two-horse race, is moving at full gallop away from a slowly growing pack of contenders," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.
In a hypothetical general election, the race is neck and neck, with President Joe Biden receiving 48% and Trump receiving 46% among all registered voters. Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis appears to have more favorable odds - with DeSantis receiving 47% and Biden receiving 46%.
According to a recent CNN poll, Donald Trump is the preferred candidate amongst Republican voters. But it's interesting to note that many people remain open to voting for either of the two candidates in a national election.
"Wide swaths of Republican-aligned voters are willing to consider either of the two, as well as several other candidates," per CNN. "More than 8 in 10 either support or say they’re open to considering Trump (84%) and DeSantis (85%), and smaller majorities say they support or would consider former UN ambassador Nikki Haley (61%), Scott (60%) and former Vice President Mike Pence (54%)."
Given that Donald Trump is currently fighting numerous legal battles, it's plausible that DeSantis becomes the more palatable candidate for the general electorate. And with the Presidential election being held next year, Ron DeSantis has a lot of time to make up lost ground and convince Republicans he's the best person to beat Joe Biden.
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