Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ bid for the 2024 presidential race is facing a significant challenge as polls show him trailing behind former President Donald Trump. Despite initially positioning himself as the Republican candidate capable of beating Trump and reversing the party’s losing streak, DeSantis’s support has significantly decreased in recent months.
According to a polling average compiled by RealClearPolitics, DeSantis currently holds only 12.7% support in the Republican primary, while Trump enjoys the support of over half of GOP voters at 57.9%. This drastic difference in popularity has led Republican strategist Ford O’Connell to label the race as a one-person race with a second tier of candidates.
The decline in DeSantis’s support is not limited to national polls. In Iowa, a crucial state for the Republican caucuses, DeSantis trails Trump by approximately 30 points. Even in New Hampshire and South Carolina, the second and third states to vote in the primary, DeSantis faces fierce competition from other candidates such as Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, and Tim Scott, according to various polls.
Despite these setbacks, DeSantis remains optimistic, asserting that the race is still fluid and many voters have yet to make their final decision. He has placed significant emphasis on performing well in Iowa, believing that a strong showing there will propel him forward in subsequent primaries. However, longtime Republican operative Dallas Woodhouse suggests that candidates like DeSantis may ultimately be competing for second place, given the overwhelming support for Trump.
As the primary contest unfolds, it is evident that Trump still views DeSantis as a formidable opponent. Trump’s campaign has been aggressively targeting Iowa, where he currently leads by almost 40 points, potentially indicating that he sees DeSantis as his biggest threat for renomination.
The race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is far from over, with nearly four months until the first votes are cast. DeSantis and his team maintain that it remains a head-to-head battle between him and Trump. However, the polls suggest a different story, with DeSantis struggling to regain his initial momentum and Trump maintaining a firm grip on his position as the frontrunner.
As the primary continues to unfold, it remains to be seen if DeSantis can regain his footing and pose a real challenge to Trump’s dominance in the 2024 race.