In the run-up to the 2024 Republican Primary, a new poll conducted by Morning Consult shows that former President Donald Trump has a commanding lead, holding the support of 56% of potential GOP voters.
This significant backing places Trump a staggering 39 points ahead of his closest rival in the race.
According to the Morning Consult report, “The bulk of the GOP’s electorate (56%) would back Trump if the primary or caucus were held in their state today.”
This reaffirms Trump’s resilient popularity among Republicans, maintaining a substantial margin over other potential nominees.
Despite the strong performance from Trump, the battle for the runner-up spot is fiercely competitive.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is currently holding second place with the support of 17% of potential primary voters, which, as per Morning Consult, is an “all-time low since the tracking of the race began in early December.”
However, the gap between Trump and DeSantis is a notable 39 points, highlighting Trump’s robust lead in this early stage of the race.
But the report reveals more than just Trump’s apparent dominance.
It also signals a surprising rise in support for entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
“Ramaswamy is No. 3: Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has overtaken former Vice President Mike Pence for third place among potential GOP primary voters, with 8% backing,” stated the Morning Consult poll.
In contrast, Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor, is suffering a popularity crisis within the party.
“Chris Christie, who’s spent much of his time on the campaign trail criticizing Trump, has an enormous popularity disadvantage. Almost half of potential GOP primary voters (46%) hold unfavorable views of the former New Jersey governor,” the report stated.
Christie’s unfavorable ratings outpace his support among potential primary voters, which stands at 3%.
The report also revealed that the party’s support for Trump and DeSantis isn’t unwavering, with many of their supporters considering other options if their top choice were to drop out.
“DeSantis is the second choice of 39% of potential GOP primary voters who are backing Trump, while 42% of the Florida governor’s supporters view Trump as their top backup option. Pence is the second choice of 14% of Trump supporters and 15% of DeSantis backers, while 16% of Trump and DeSantis supporters have Ramaswamy as their top backup pick,” the report outlined.
However, uncertainty still looms in the party, with a portion of the electorate unsure of their loyalties should their first-choice candidate drop out of the race.
“Far more of Trump’s supporters (15%) than DeSantis’ (5%) are uncertain about where their loyalties would fall if their first choice weren’t in the race,” according to Morning Consult.
The Morning Consult poll provides a snapshot of the Republican primary electorate’s preferences as they prepare for the 2024 nominating contests, highlighting the strength of Trump’s appeal and the shifting dynamics of the party’s support.
Meanwhile, a recent poll by the Florida Atlantic University Mainstreet PolCom Lab shows Trump is even leading the GOP presidential race in Florida, where DeSantis currently serves as governor.
In the poll, Trump is ahead of DeSantis by 20 points among likely voters for next year’s GOP Primary.
The poll involved 315 likely voters and indicates Trump holds 50% support, compared to DeSantis’ 30%.
