According to recent polling, President Donald Trump has substantially expanded his lead in the GOP presidential primary race over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis among Republican and right-leaning independent voters. A Marquette Law School survey published this week shows Trump’s backing has shot up by ten percentage points since July, now settling at a dominant 56%, marking a substantial 20-point swing away from DeSantis in favor of Trump in a little over two months.
DeSantis, a once-celebrated GOP contender, has experienced a dip in national support. The latest data from September suggests that his backing has receded by ten points, now standing at a mere 12%. This decline coincides with news reports indicating that the DeSantis campaign is pivoting its resources. As the New York Times reported, one-third of the DeSantis staff is relocating to Iowa, turning the state into a strategic hub for his campaign.
Trump’s Lead over DeSantis Nationally Climbed 20 Points Since July https://t.co/zhF0MvkkhB pic.twitter.com/pNfnx8uzeu
— IndictedTrump2️⃣⏺2️⃣4⃣🍊 (@RealTrump2020_) October 7, 2023
To add to DeSantis’ challenges, his campaign’s financial standing appears to be on shaky ground. Despite a recent influx of $15 million from donors in the third quarter, aides have shared with the New York Times that a mere $5 million remains in the war chest for the Republican primaries.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for the DeSantis camp. According to his national spokesperson, Carly Atchinson, the Florida governor remains a strong contender. “Anyone that knows Ron DeSantis knows that he is a fighter, a winner, and a leader,” campaign manager James Uthmeier said.
In the broader GOP landscape, the Marquette poll highlighted other notable shifts. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley remains a prominent figure with 6% support, unchanged since July. At the same time, both entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Vice President Mike Pence share the fourth position with 4% backing each. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) took 2%, while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie remains at 1%.
In an intriguing twist, a hypothetical general election match-up between Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden unveiled a statistical tie. Among registered voters, Trump leads at 51%, while each took 50% among likely voters nationally.
