DeSantis Continues Rising In Early Polling For GOP's 2024 Nomination

By FOX45
Posted on 06/21/22 | News Source: FOX45

Former President Donald Trump’s stranglehold on the GOP may be loosening as he weighs whether to launch a third presidential campaign and some of his challengers gain ground.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is Trump’s chief challenger so far in most polling and enjoys strong favorability ratings from his constituents as he has taken on the White House head-on in fights over COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines, and waded into culture wars on transgender rights, critical race theory and abortion.

For the second year in a row, DeSantis beat Trump in a straw poll at a conservative summit in Colorado and is frequently the top candidate in polls that do not include the former president. In polls that do include Trump, DeSantis has come in second place and started to close ground on Trump in some.

DeSantis has created a huge war chest during his reelection campaign for governor, amassing over $100 million this cycle. He has said he is focused on winning reelection as Florida’s governor in 2022 but has also made his rounds around the U.S. and built a national profile.

“He is playing this very smartly — speaking across the country at events, raising lots of money, and taking on (President Joe) Biden verbally whenever possible — but not revealing his plans. He is running for reelection as sovernor of Florida so he has to get that accomplished first,” said Carol Weissert, professor emerita of political science at Florida State University.