Vivek Ramaswamy is still ‘unknown’ while Ron DeSantis is both a ‘fascist’ and a ‘leader’: Daily Mail survey reveals the words that come to voters’ minds for the candidates

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will have to overcome the hurdles of voter perception in the second Republican presidential debate on Wednesday night.

A new survey from DailyMail.com/JL Partners found that voters most often use the word “unknown” when asked what they think about 38-year-old Ramaswamy.

When asked what they thought of DeSantis, “fascist” was the word most used to describe him by both Democrats and likely voters.

Meanwhile, Republican respondents used positive words like “leader,” “smart” and “strong” to describe the 45-year-old father of three.

Still, some of the more popular words used by Republicans were “unknown” and “establishment.”

DeSantis needs a top performance if he wants to return to second place in the polls after falling to fifth in some states.

Ramaswamy is looking to capitalize on his show-stealing maiden debate performance, which cemented his victory in the DailyMail.com poll.

Along with DeSantis and Ramaswamy, the five other candidates who qualified for the second phase of debate are former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley; Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina; former Vice President Mike Pence; former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right) and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (left) need a breakthrough moment in the second debate on Wednesday night to change voters’ perceptions. A DailyMail.com poll shows that of all voters surveyed, they call DeSantis a ‘fascist’ and Ramaswamy ‘unknown’

Most likely, voters describe Ron DeSantis with the word “fascist,” others call him a “leader,” and others say he is “racist” or “unknown.”

Julian Gallie, research associate at JL Partners, told DailyMail.com: ‘Going into the next debate, DeSantis needs to stand out – and one way he can do this is to capitalize on what voters see as his biggest strengths, namely his record of service as governor of Florida and that he is the best-placed candidate to take on Biden in the election.

“But above all, he needs to be noticed – both by distinguishing himself as the obvious choice against Trump, and by being the most conservative person on stage who can also get things done.

‘Despite winning DailyMail.com’s latest post-debate poll, Vivek Ramaswamy is struggling to capitalize on his performance.

“The word most associated with Vivek is unknown, but the more Republican voters see him, the more they like him.

“Ramaswamy will do well if he showcases his talents and conservatism. But fundamentally, he may struggle in a race where Trump is so dominant — his best bet could be if the former president drops out.”

The DailyMail.com poll, conducted by JL Partners, included a survey of 1,000 likely voters between September 15 and 20.

When asked about the current leaders in the White House, who are running for re-election in 2024, most respondents described Vice President Kamala Harris as “incompetent” and “unqualified.” The Democrats think she’s “smart.”

Meanwhile, 40 percent of voters say she is the worst vice president in modern history.

When Joe Biden is put in a hypothetical matchup with Trump, the ex-president wins by just 1 percent, with 45 percent, compared to the current president’s 44 percent.

DeSantis also appears to beat Biden by the same margins, 44 to 43 percent.

Meanwhile, most of the likely voters in 2024 described political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy as ‘unknown’ despite his stellar performance in the first debate last month

Some Republican voters viewed DeSantis more favorably, calling him a “leader” and “smart,” while others were less kind

The results are a change from the June survey that found both Trump and DeSantis narrowly trailing Biden in hypothetical general election contests.

However, the poll said Ramaswamy would lose to Biden — 41 percent to 38 percent — in a head-to-head showdown in 2024.

While DeSantis gained widespread name recognition thanks to his leadership in Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ramaswamy is a complete political newcomer in this election.

Seven Republican candidates will descend on Southern California this week for the second GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday at 9pm ET.

The debate is hosted by Fox Business and Univision and moderated by Fox News host Dana Perino, Fox Business host Stuart Varney and Univison’s Ilia Calderon.

Trump refuses to run again.

Instead, the former president and Republican Party frontrunner will attempt to steal the spotlight by delivering remarks at an event in Detroit, Michigan, where auto industry workers are expected to attend as United Automobile Workers union negotiations continue ( UAW) are going on.

Biden visited Detroit on Tuesday and is holding a fundraiser on the West Coast this week — likely in response to Trump’s visit and the Republican debate.