Ron DeSantis drops to fourth in new South Carolina poll: Florida governor falls behind Nikki Haley and Tim Scott in their home state as he takes initiative on evangelical vote
- Donald Trump has a two-to-one lead in the new poll with 46% of the votes
- New Monmouth University/Washington Post poll was released Thursday
- DeSantis announced a new Faith and Family Coalition to build evangelical votes
Ron DeSantis fell to fourth place in a new poll in South Carolina as his campaign prepared for a big boost among evangelical voters.
The Florida governor followed Donald Trump and former home state favorites Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott.
It’s a shocking drop for DeSantis, who came in second behind the former president.
The new Monmouth University/Washington Post poll showed Donald Trump with a two-to-one lead, with 46% of Republican primary voters likely to vote for the former president. The next closest is Haley at 18%, followed by 10% for Scott and 9% for DeSantis.
Haley’s support in her home state is three times higher than in national polls, even though she performed strongly in the first GOP debate and other polls showed Republicans think she can beat President Joe Biden.
South Carolina holds its third primary election to determine the Republican presidential nominee. It will take place on February 24, 2024.
The state can make or break a presidential campaign. In 2016, Trump consolidated his hold on the nomination by winning the South Carolina primary after losing in Iowa and winning in New Hampshire.
DeSantis has campaigned hard in the state, sending his wife Casey to replace him when he couldn’t hold a major GOP event there because of Hurricane Idalia hitting Florida.
He entered the Republican presidential primaries with high expectations, which have not translated into solid support from voters.
But he is launching a new initiative Thursday to court the Republican base. His focus is on evangelical voters, who make up a large percentage of the base in South Carolina and Iowa.
DeSantis announced a Faith and Family Coalition that will promote the idea of “God over government.” His campaign said that as president, DeSantis will “defend religious freedom, enable people of faith to flourish, and advance the culture of life.”
Ron DeSantis fell to fourth place in a new poll in South Carolina during his campaign
Donald Trump leads two-to-one in a new poll of South Carolina voters; Nikki Haley came in second
Senator Tim Scott walks past Casey DeSantis at a Faith & Freedom BBQ in South Carolina last month
He has competition for the faithful — both Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence are courting the evangelical voting bloc.
About 35% of Americans identify as evangelical, with 56% calling themselves Republican, according to the Pew Research Center.
DeSantis, who was raised Catholic, has begun to emphasize his faith as he campaigns for president.
“Our household is a Christ-centered household,” DeSantis told Christian Broadcast Network’s David Brody earlier this year.
He noted that his son Mason, who was four at the time, asked for a slingshot last Christmas so he could look like King David.
But Florida’s governor doesn’t talk about his faith as much as Scott and Pence talk about theirs. Both men have long made it part of their identity.