DeSantis Pips Trump in Straw Poll at Conservative Summit
A survey conducted over the weekend at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver found Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) narrowly ahead of former President Trump in a straw poll of potential 2024 candidates.
Of attendees who responded to the survey, 74.12% said they would approve of DeSantis for president in three years time, compared with 71.43% who said the same of Trump. DeSantis won 275 votes, while Trump got 265. The duo had wide leads over the rest of the sprawling field, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) coming in third with 42.86% of respondents saying they would approve of the Texas senator.
Neither DeSantis nor Trump has officially declared their intentions for 2024, but the former president has teased a third bid for president.
“I’m absolutely enthused. I look forward to doing an announcement at the right time,” he said last month. “As you know, it’s very early. But I think people are going to be very, very happy when I make a certain announcement.”
DeSantis is currently focusing on winning re-election as governor in 2022. Any hopes of taking the next step up to the White House will be heavily predicated on beating Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried or any other would be challengers that come his way between now and Election Day next year.
