Trump is double-digits ahead of Ron DeSantis NBC’s first national 2024 poll shows
According to NBC News’ first national primary of 2024, Donald Trump is ahead of Ron DeSantis by 15 percentage points.
However, the double-digit lead in the primary has been dwarfed by poll results showing that only 6 percent of Americans want to see a 2020 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden.
The president is reportedly ready to soft-launch his 2024 reelection campaign on Tuesday.
Trump, in the NBC News poll, earned 46 percent support from Republican primary voters compared to DeSantis’ 31 percent. The Florida governor has not yet announced a White House bid, but is largely seen as the only potential candidate who could give Trump a good fight.
DeSantis moved closer to Trump in the polls — even beating him by a few — but the recent indictment of the former president in the Stormy Daniels hush money case has strengthened his stance with Republicans.
A new poll shows Donald Trump has a double-digit lead over Ron DeSantis
NBC News’ first national poll for the 2024 presidential primaries shows Trump leading with 46% of the vote, compared to DeSantis in second with 31%
Seventy percent of GOP respondents told NBC’s poll that they feel it’s more important now to rally behind Trump’s 2024 bid after the indictment.
Some of Trump’s rivals in 2024 have suggested that the charges and arraignment were a way for Democrats to secure his 2024 candidacy, as they believe he will lose a general election against Biden.
No other candidate, announced or not, could garner double-digit support among the only 292 Republican voters polled.
Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third with just 6 percent of the vote.
Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and one-time Trump ambassador to the United Nations, is tied for fourth with Senator Tim Scott, who did not announce, and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, who announced. All three politicians received 3 percent support.
Longshot candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a multimillionaire who made his fortune in biotech and asset management, finished last with 2 percent.
Despite the lead in the polls over DeSantis, it’s clear that lines of attack against the governor are not a winning strategy for the former president.
While Trump has made mocking his opponents and political rivals a hallmark of his campaign style, his jokes about DeSantis fell flat with attendees at a local GOP dinner in Lee County on Friday.
When Trump directs his attacks at Democrats or less popular Republicans, he’s usually laughed out loud and clapped — but Republicans in Florida don’t take pleasure in it when the joke is their beloved governor.
“In Florida, I got 1.2 million more votes than your successful governor’s campaign,” Trump said Friday at the Lincoln Reagan dinner. ‘You know that. We have 1.2 million.’
The same poll shows that only a measly 6% of Americans want to see a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden in 2024
He then used his voice to mock DeSantis and play off the governor who asked for his help during the 2018 gubernatorial race in the Sunshine State. “Sir, I would like to have your support, sir. I would like to have your support. I’m at about three o’clock. I would like your support.’
Trump dropped the gig, saying, “Then there was something like a rocket after I gave it.” Otherwise you’d have a lawyer looking for cases somewhere right now.”
After Trump’s attack on DeSantis, there were a few awkward chuckles in the otherwise quiet room, prompting him to add, “If that.”
DeSantis has not yet announced a bid, but is taking all the traditional steps toward a run — including crossing the country to key states for a presidential candidate.
Of those polled, 70 percent don’t think Biden should run for re-election, while 60 percent don’t think Trump should make a third bid for the White House.
The Washington Post reported that while returning from his trip to Ireland, Biden met with a videographer in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to shoot a campaign launch video, expected to be released this week.