Poll: Ron DeSantis Up 18 Points over Donald Trump in Hypothetical GOP Primary  

PALM BEACH, FL-NOVEMBER 8: Former President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters
Phelan M. Ebenhack for The Washington Post via Getty Images, Octavio Jones/Getty
Wendell Husebø

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is marked 18 points up over former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical GOP primary, a Wednesday Economist/YouGov poll revealed.

When the poll asked conservative respondents, “If you had to choose, who would you rather see as the Republican nominee for President in 2024?” 51 percent chose DeSantis. Thirty-three percent selected Trump. Seventeen percent are unsure.

Among Americans, DeSantis leads Trump by seven points (46-39 percent). The governor also leads Trump among independents by 13 points (24-21 percent).

When respondents were asked about favorability, DeSantis tops Trump. DeSantis’s favorability among Republicans is 74 percent. Just 14 percent view DeSantis unfavorably. Trump’s approval is slightly worse. Seventy-two percent view Trump favorably, with twenty-five percent viewing him unfavorably.

The poll comes as Trump announced his reelection Tuesday night. Only 43 percent of respondents said they wanted Trump to run for a third presidential bid, while 38 percent were opposed. Nineteen percent were unsure.

The poll sampled 1,500 respondents from November 13 – 15 with a 3.1 percent margin of error.

The Economist/YouGov poll contradicted Tuesday’s Politico/Morning Consult poll, where Trump held a 14-point lead over DeSantis (R) in a potential 2024 Republican primary matchup. Forty-seven percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents backed Trump, while 33 percent supported DeSantis.

YouGov polling appears to favor DeSantis. A Monday YouGov poll found 42 percent of Republicans supported DeSantis versus Trump’s 35 percent.

Previous polling before the midterm election found Trump leading DeSantis by over 40 points.

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.

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