(USA Features) If former President Donald Trump does not jump into the 2024 GOP presidential race, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is overwhelmingly the favorite among Republican voters, according to a new survey.
Currently, DeSantis remains focused on his 2022 reelection campaign, but increasingly, Republican voters are showing their support for him as a presidential candidate if the former president decides against running again.
An Echelon Insights survey conducted in June found that DeSantis received a plurality of support in a 19-candidate field sans Trump.
DeSantis maintained a 7-point lead with 21% over the next-closest challenger, former Vice President Mike Pence, who garnered 14%.
That said, those who said they were “unsure” made up 26% of the total.
Registered Republicans and registered voters who lean Republican were asked: “If Donald Trump does NOT seek the Republican nomination for President in 2024 and the presidential primaries were being held today, for whom would you vote?”
Here is the breakdown:
- Ron DeSantis 21%.
- Mike Pence 14%.
- Donald Trump, Jr 7%.
- Nikki Haley 6%.
- Ted Cruz 6%.
- Mitt Romney 4%.
- Marco Rubio 3%.
- Tim Scott 2%.
- Tucker Carlson 1%.
- Greg Abbott 1%.
- Kristi Noem 1%.
- Rick Scott 1%.
- Liz Cheney 1%.
- Chris Christie 1%.
- Mike Pompeo *%.
- Larry Hogan *%.
- Tom Cotton *%.
- Ben Sasse *%.
- Josh Hawley *%.
- Someone else 2%.
Most candidates who garnered the most support are on board with Trump’s American First agenda.
DeSantis’ office also pushed back on earlier reports that Trump and DeSantis were having a falling out.
“Contrary to inaccurate reporting based on anonymous sources, the governor never suggested canceling the event,” DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw announced in a statement Monday after Trump’s Sarasota, Florida, July 3 rally.
“I’d also like to emphasize that there was never, at any time, a ‘plea’ from Gov. DeSantis or anyone on his team to cancel or postpone the rally,” Pushaw continued.
“There was never a ‘feud’ either.'”
The Echelon Insights poll was conducted June 18-22 among 1,001 registered voters.