Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is slipping in key early primary states, with a recent poll indicating he’s falling into single digits in New Hampshire. The poll, conducted by co/efficient, found that DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie both garnered just 9% support among likely Republican primary voters, trailing far behind former President Donald Trump, who had 43% support. The poll also showed that 13% of likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire remain undecided, suggesting even more bad news for DeSantis and Christie.
This poll comes at a time when DeSantis’ campaign is undergoing a reset, with the governor shedding staff to streamline operations, making more media appearances, and doing smaller, more grassroots events to present himself in a more personal light. However, it appears these efforts may not be enough to overcome Trump’s dominance in the polls.
And it’s not just New Hampshire where DeSantis is struggling. In other key early primary states, Trump continues to lead by double digits. He’s ahead of DeSantis by 24 points in Iowa and by 30 points in Nevada. Trump also leads with 48% in South Carolina, ahead of both former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and DeSantis at 14% and 13%, respectively.
Ultimately, it seems that Trump remains the clear front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination in 2024. According to the RealClearPolitics average for a 2024 national primary, based on polls conducted between July 12 and August 3, Trump leads the crowded field with 53.7%, followed by DeSantis with just 15.7%. Other contenders, including Haley and Christie, are garnering less than 3% support.
As the primary season heats up, it will be interesting to see if DeSantis and other Republican hopefuls are able to make any headway in the polls. However, for now, it appears that Trump remains the clear favorite among Republican voters, and his dominance shows no signs of waning anytime soon.
