DeSantis, Pence Net Image Ratings Crash on Same Trajectory in 2023: AP Survey

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AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
Hannah Knudsen

Both Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) and former Vice President Mike Pence’s (R) net image ratings have crashed since jumping into the presidential ring, a recent AP-NORC survey found.

DeSantis has seen his net image rating essentially collapse among all voters — a trend that accelerated exponentially throughout his presidential campaign.

In July 2021, for example, DeSantis saw a net image rating of -3, as 30 percent viewed him at least somewhat unfavorably compared to 27 percent who had a favorable view. That gap reached -10 in October 2022 and -14 in April 2023, one month prior to announcing his presidential bid — a move he teased for months.

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His net image rating remained stable at -14 through June but took a nosedive the following months, now standing at-24, as 53 percent view him at least somewhat unfavorably compared to 29 percent who have a favorable view. That dip coincides with the governor’s campaign scrambling to reassure donors that it has a plan to boost the governor’s standings in the polls, sending out a confidential memo outlining its strategy to focus on early primary states rather than Super Tuesday states.

Over the summer, the DeSantis campaign also laid off dozens of staffers, and the presidential hopeful replaced his campaign manager as his steep decline accelerated in the polls, even dropping to third place in some recent surveys, as former President Donald Trump predicted would happen.

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Matthew Perdie / Breitbart News, Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News

Pence has experienced a similar decline. He saw a -6 net image rating in April 2023, as most, 51 percent, had an at least somewhat unfavorable view, compared to 45 percent who had an at least somewhat favorable view. That grew to -9 in June and swelled to -29 in August, with 57 percent viewing the former Vice President at least somewhat unfavorably and just 28 percent holding an at least somewhat favorable view.

That slide comes as Pence has openly criticized Trump, asserting that Trump put “himself over the Constitution.” He made those remarks after Special Counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump on charges related to January 6.

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“WOW, it’s finally happened! Liddle’ Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side,” Trump said in an August 5 Truth Social post.

“I never told a newly emboldened (not based on his 2% poll numbers!) Pence to put me above the Constitution, or that Mike was ‘too honest.’ He’s delusional, and now he wants to show he’s a tough guy. I once read a major magazine article on Mike. It said he was not a very good person. I was surprised, but the article was right. Sad!” Trump exclaimed.

The latest Morning Consult survey shows the national struggle of both DeSantis and Pence for GOP primary voters, as DeSantis has dropped to the teens, remaining stagnant at 16 percent support — 41 points behind Trump. Pence, who has the second highest unfavorable rating of all Republicans in the field, has slipped to fourth place, behind anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy with just seven percent support to Ramaswamy’s nine percent.

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Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News

The August 2023 AP-NORC Center Poll was taken August 10-14, 2023, among 1,165 adults and has a +/-3.8 percent margin of error.

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