As the 2024 presidential race heats up, former President Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) are going head to head for the crown.
According to a new Quinnipiac University survey, Trump holds a 14-point lead over DeSantis, who has not officially announced a bid for the White House.
Forty-six percent of Republicans support Trump as the GOP nominee, while 32 percent favor DeSantis. In a February poll, the former president topped the governor, 42 percent to 36 percent.
"DeSantis might be the buzz in the GOP conversation, but, for now, Trump is seeing no erosion and, in fact, enjoys a bump in his lead in the Republican primary," Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said.
No other Republican contender comes close to DeSantis and Trump in the poll. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) barely surfaced with only five percent support.
The same poll, however, found that both Trump and DeSantis fell short of President Joe Biden among voters, though by only a couple of percentage points.
DeSantis would lose to Biden, 47 to 46 percent, while Trump would come in last, 49 to 45 percent.
Despite this, 54 percent of voters view Biden as an unfavorable candidate, with only 36 percent saying DeSantis wouldn't be a good fit in DC.
The Florida governor's popularity has soared in recent years, making him a firm favorite among conservatives. Even die-hard Trump supporters are edging toward supporting a DeSantis ticket over the former president.
Sources say DeSantis's official presidential bid could come as soon as late spring/early summer, kicking off what could be the most closely watched election as Trump continues to bash him publicly.
Despite Biden leading the pack between Trump and DeSantis, the president's approval rating remains underwater among both parties.
A Reuters poll found that 52 percent of Americans disapprove of Biden's job as president. His approval rating has dipped almost consistently since taking office. Last year, it tanked to a record low of 36 percent as the country faced a 40-year high inflation rate.
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