At the end of June, Townhall Media launched its 2024 GOP presidential primary straw poll, giving our audience a chance to make their preference known as candidates jockey for support and take positions on the issues facing America. Now, we're releasing the initial results after nearly 40,000 individuals cast their vote in just the first three weeks of polling.
Unsurprisingly, former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis were the most popular in the THM straw poll, with the 45th president drawing nearly 52 percent overall followed by the Sunshine State's chief executive earning slightly more than 38 percent. The other eight candidates on the THM straw poll drew less than four percent support each, with Pence, Christie, Elder, Burgum, and Hutchinson drawing less than one percent.
Zooming in, some of Trump's biggest margins were seen in Alaska, Vermont, the District of Columbia, and Louisiana while DeSantis took first place in Colorado, Georgia, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
When it comes to the important early states on the primary calendar, Trump leads DeSantis 45-39 percent in Iowa, 48-36 in New Hampshire, 56-32 in South Carolina, and 53-37 in Nevada.
Among the less-popular candidates, these are the state(s) in which each drew the most support (as a percent of votes in each state) among Townhall straw poll voters:
- Vivek Ramaswamy: 16% in the District of Columbia
- Tim Scott: 6% in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming
- Nikki Haley: 11% in the District of Columbia
- Mike Pence: 2% in Rhode Island
- Chris Christie: 5% in Vermont and the District of Columbia
- Larry Elder: *did not get more than one percent in any state*
- Doug Burgum: 11% in North Dakota
- Asa Hutchinson: 2% in Arkansas and Vermont
Townhall's Straw Poll will remain open for voting (one vote, per person, per 30 days) as the first GOP primary debate — hosted by Fox News, Young America's Foundation (YAF), and Rumble in Milwaukee on August 23 — approaches.
The next round of rolling 30-day totals will be released on August 8. If you have not voted yet, make your voice heard here.