Attendees at the Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida have sent an alarming message to the establishment: Donald J. Trump is still the king of the conservative movement. The Trafalgar Group poll conducted during the conference revealed that Republican voters were not only still supportive of the former president but overwhelmingly chose him as their top candidate for 2024.
An astonishing 87.5% of respondents voted for Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary straw poll, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis only managed to muster 4.3%, an embarrassingly low figure. Even more shockingly, DeSantis came in third place, with businessman Perry Johnson taking 7.8% of the vote. This follows a growing trend of conservative voters in America viewing Trump’s MAGA movement as the only way forward for American politics.
Despite the Governor of Florida’s home state advantage, half of the approximately 3,000 respondents at the conference, consisting of young millennials and eager supporters alike, rejected DeSantis as a possible candidate for the next election and instead put their faith in Donald Trump, highlighting how the former Commander-in-Chief remains the undisputed leader of the conservative base in America.
Trump himself attended the conference, delivering a rousing speech to a packed crowd of enthusiastic supporters who hung on his every word, affirming his status as a cult hero on the right. DeSantis, on the other hand, did not attend the event, sending a clear signal to the conservative grassroots that he is either not up to the task or doesn’t have as strong a connection to the conservative base as Trump.
The poll also revealed the incredible popularity of businessman and speaker Vivek Ramaswamy, with half of the respondents choosing him as their second preference. A clear sign that conservative voters are looking for someone with new ideas and fresh perspective to invigorate the movement while staying true to its core values. However, the clear focus of the conference was on the continued dominance of Donald Trump within the Republican party, with 21% of attendees listing him as their second choice for president, leaving DeSantis floundering with only 13.5% of respondents having him as their second preference.
Finally, the poll revealed an intriguing race for the conservative movement’s number 2. With 30% of responses, Kari Lake, a libertarian-leaning journalist and former news anchor, garnered the most support for Vice President, with 24% for Representative Byron Donalds of Florida and 22% for Ramaswamy. However, it is worth remembering that regardless of who ends up on the ballot, it is the vision and leadership of Trump that will continue to be the driving force behind the Republican party for the foreseeable future. It is clear that the MAGA movement is not just a passing phenomenon but a revitalized conservative platform that will continue to shape America’s political landscape for years to come.
