EXCLUSIVE – Trump Gains Ground in Iowa as DeSantis Drops NINE POINTS: DailyMail.com Poll Shows Florida Governor Needs Massive Recovery in Crucial Caucus State – As Tim Scott Rises to Third Place

Donald Trump maintains his clear lead for the Republican nomination in early Iowa state, according to a new poll for DailyMail.com, but Ron DeSantis has lost nine points as Tim Scott gains momentum.

The results mean more trouble for Florida’s governor, who restarted his campaign this week.

And they come as national attention turns to Iowa next week, when candidates will attend the state fair. Polls in the state, which picks its candidate first, are closely watched because they can make or break a candidate.

A poll of likely Republican caucus attendees shows Trump has the support of 43 percent, up two points since April.

DeSantis’ stuttering campaign has dropped him from 26 percent to 17 percent.

The battle for the Republican nomination was meant to be a race between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. But a poll for the Trump campaign suggests the former president is well ahead

Most of that decline appears to be due to the well-funded Scott’s skyrocketing fortunes. In April (before entering the race) he was at one percent. Now it is at 11 percent.

The poll was conducted from August 1 to 7, in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s third indictment this year.

“Trump’s indictments have only helped solidify his position in Iowa,” said James Johnson, co-founder of the Republican polling firm JL Partners, which conducted the survey.

In April, he had a 15-point lead among likely caucus attendees in Hawkeye State; that now stands at a 26-point lead.

While voters continue to have a positive view of the man himself, support for DeSantis is rapidly waning and now he and Tim Scott are separated by just six points for second place.

“In addition to Trump’s preponderance, this poll’s story is Scottmentum: ‘Scott has risen from one percent in April to 11 percent now.’

Polls in Iowa are a crucial barometer of the race. The state chooses the nominee first, so the results can make or break a campaign.

That’s good news so far for Scott, the Senator from South Carolina. He already had a reputation as an impressive fundraiser with a compelling story of a rough childhood.

Despite DeSantis’ decline, Florida governor remains best-placed to give Trump a shot at the Republican nomination in a head-to-head battle

Senator Tim Scott revealed his plans to address the border crisis last week. His campaign has gone from strength to strength and he has risen to third in the polls

His stock has only increased since he entered the race with a positive message. He scores high ratings and has risen to third in a series of early state polls, even before his backers prepare to spend $40 million on a fall advertising blitz.

Tim Scott is the only candidate in this race with real movement and momentum. Clearly, his positive message, anchored in conservatism, is resonating with Iowa caucus attendees,” said his campaign communications director Nathan Brand.

In contrast, this week DeSantis overhauled his campaign’s senior leadership amid disappointing polls and dwindling cash reserves.

His status as the party’s rising star and his landslide victory to secure a second term as governor of Florida last year seem a long time ago.

But there is good news for him among Iowa’s Republican voters.

He does best in head-to-head confrontations with Trump, suggesting he is still best placed to beat the former president for the nomination.

He trails Trump by 17 points in a two-horse race, while Scott loses by 20 points.

Trump was back in court last week to plead not guilty to charges related to his bid to stay in power after the 2020 election. So far, his legal woes have not helped DeSantis

Three-state polls show Donald Trump has a much bigger lead over women in a head-to-head match with Ron DeSantis than men

Bryan Griffin, press secretary for the DeSantis campaign, said, “This primary is a two-man race between Governor DeSantis and a man running in 2024 for the things he promised to do in 2016 and failed to do.

“Governor DeSantis is the only candidate in the race who can beat Joe Biden and deliver the agenda we need to reverse the decline of this country and revive its future.”

So far, Trump’s legal woes have not helped DeSantis win support among Republicans.

The former president was back in court last week to plead not guilty to four charges related to his attempts to stay in power after the 2020 election.

The latest federal case charges Trump with three counts of conspiracy: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, and conspiracy against people’s rights.

It follows a New York case related to a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

And in June, Trump was charged in federal court with illegally possessing classified documents after he left the White House and hid them from the government.