Poll: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis Lead Joe Biden in Florida

OCALA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - 2022/05/06: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reacts at a pres
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images, Chris Carlson-Pool/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) both lead President Joe Biden in a hypothetical matchup in the Sunshine State, a University of North Florida (UNF) Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) survey found.

The survey asked respondents, “If the 2024 presidential election were held today and the candidates were Joe Biden for the Democratic Party and Donald Trump for the Republican Party, who would you vote for?”

In that hypothetical matchup, Trump garners 50 percent of the vote to Biden’s 43 percent. Another seven percent remain unsure. Notably, Trump also holds an advantage among independent voters, specifically, leading Biden by five percent, or 47 percent to 42 percent.

The survey asked the same question, pitting Biden against Florida Gov. DeSantis, who happens to hold a sizable lead in the Republican primary in his home state in this particular poll as well.

DeSantis leads Biden by nine percent, or 51 percent to 42 percent. Like Trump, DeSantis also holds a lead among independent voters, leading Biden 48 percent to 42 percent.

Further, the survey suggested a less than friendly environment for Biden in the Sunshine State, as 53 percent view him either somewhat or very unfavorably. Fifty-four percent of independents share that view as well:

The survey was taken February 25 to March 7, 2023, among 1,452 registered voters. It has a +/- 2.57 percent margin of error. Notably, both Trump and DeSantis’s leads are larger than that figure.

The survey comes as speculation continues to mount over DeSantis’s political future, as he has refused to say if he plans to throw his hat in the presidential ring in 2024. However, Trump has already taken a series of preemptive strikes and continues to lead in several national polls, even as others — such as Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy — formally jump into the political arena.

DeSantis, however, has refused to criticize the former president, telling reporters in November that “people just need to chill out” over the rumors of a civil war between the two.

Meanwhile, the governor has been touring the country promoting his book The Courage to Be Free while touting what he has dubbed the “Florida Blueprint” nationwide.

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