President Donald Trump (R) still has a 20-point lead over Governor Ron DeSantis (R) in Florida. With the first Republican primary debate scheduled for August, both Republican stalwarts have ramped up their criticism. However, despite a push from the DeSantis campaign, Trump is still the clear frontrunner according to polls.
In an interview this month with New York Rep. Aelaxandra Ocasio Cortez (D), the Democratic firebrand commented on the Republican primary, saying that DeSantis has no chance of defeating Trump. In her assessment of the rivalry between Trump and DeSantis, AOC argues that DeSantis has attempted to appeal to Trump voters but has failed in the process.
“He may be trying to win a base, but that base belongs to Donald Trump,” AOC argued, and a new poll could back up her claim.
In a new Florida Atlantic University/Mainstreet Research/PolCom Lab Poll, President Trump is polling at 50% among Florida Republican voters. DeSantis came in second place with 30%.
According to a RealClearPolitics average of national polls, President Trump has a 32-point lead.
In a statement by FAU political scientists Kevin Wagner regarding the results of the FAU poll, Wagner shared that “the poll highlights Donald Trump’s quite durable support,” adding that Trump “does especially well with white working-class voters, who have consistently formed a steadfast base for the former president.”
In addition to the FAU poll, The Floridian circulated a Twitter poll (very unscientific push poll) to try to gauge the sentiment in the race on the social media platform. After just 3 days, Trump has garnered 79 percent of the 31,3000 votes casted while DeSantis has only garnered 12.6 percent of those polled.
2024 GOP PRESIDENTIAL POLL—
Who will you vote for in the 2024 Republican Presidential primary race?
— The Floridian (@Floridianpress) July 10, 2023
Wagner commented that “this persistent support continues to bolster Trump’s strong and steady position within the party.”
A number of former Trump supporters have entered the fray and are now pushing back against the 45th president, including South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) and Vice President Mike Pence (R).
Trump has not directed criticism at Haley, but he has remained a vocal critic against both Pence and DeSantis, the latter of which he’s dubbed “Ron DeSanctimonious” over his intention to run for the White House.
