According to a new straw poll conducted by the conservative student activist group Turning Point USA, Donald Trump easily defeats Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as their choice for 2024 Republican nominee for President.
The poll was held at a summit for the group in the Sunshine State on Sunday.
While certainly an unscientific reading, the straw poll does indicate the youth movement of staunch conservatives is sticking with the former President as their preferred nominee.
Trump managed to grab a significant portion of the response with 78.7% saying they would vote for him if he launched another campaign for the White House. DeSantis received 19.0% of the vote.
No other potential candidate received more than 1% of the vote.
BREAKING: Trump dominates 2024 GOP presidential nomination straw poll at Turning Point USA summit
Trump 78
DeSantis 19 https://t.co/ONKiChAxWR— No Cap Poso ???????? (@JackPosobiec) July 24, 2022
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RELATED: Trump Says He’s Made His Decision For 2024
Trump Dominates DeSantis, Other Republicans in 2024 Straw Poll of Student Activists
The Turning Point USA straw poll may come as a bit of a surprise considering other surveys have indicated Governor DeSantis has been closing the gap with Trump as the GOP’s preferred choice.
A Yahoo News/YouGov poll from less than a month ago shows DeSantis just 9 points behind in a hypothetical Republican matchup. Trump had been dominating similar polls for months prior.
Continuing the trend, however, a Detroit News poll of likely Republican primary voters just a few days ago shows the two GOP favorites statistically tied.
New public polling from Michigan shows Republican voters increasingly willing to look at a conservative alternative to Donald Trump, even as they still view the 45th president favorably. https://t.co/jEY9jv1Ltj
— Axios (@axios) July 20, 2022
It also seems noteworthy that the summit of conservative student activists was held in Florida, meaning Trump dominated DeSantis on his won turf.
Trump spoke at the conference and hinted, as he often does, at a 2024 run for the White House. But, as he often does, he continues to incorrectly assert that he won the election in 2020, which he continues to claim was illegitimate.
“I ran twice, I won twice and did much better the second time than I did the first, getting millions of millions more votes than we did in 2016 and likewise getting more votes than any sitting president in the history of our country by far,” Trump said.
“And now we may just have to do it again.”
BREAKING: Trump just teased a 2024 run and the crowd absolutely erupted
“We might just have to do it again” #SAS20222 pic.twitter.com/hzc5zG9Wlo
— No Cap Poso ???????? (@JackPosobiec) July 24, 2022
RELATED: Trump Leaves The Door Open To Run With DeSantis As His VP
Already Made His Decision
Trump has previously indicated he’s already made a decision in his “own mind” on whether or not he’s going to make another White House run in 2024.
In fact, he revealed the only true drama left in the process is making a decision on whether or not to announce his intentions before or after the midterm elections.
“Well, in my own mind, I’ve already made that decision, so nothing factors in anymore,” he told the Intelligencer. “In my own mind, I’ve already made that decision.”
On Trump telling New York Magazine reporter he’s made his decision for 2024, @VaughnHillyard: “Essentially he lays out all but saying yes, that he is running. The big question is whether he does this before or after the midterm elections.” #AMRstaff
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) July 14, 2022
DeSantis has consistently indicated he is more interested in running for a second term as governor of Florida.
He is often viewed as the more professional version of Trump – just as strong in fighting the left and their media cohorts but in a more subtle, cutting manner.
And he sometimes earns the respect of typically left-leaning voters. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he’s also leaning toward DeSantis in 2024 after having voted Democrat his entire life.
In response, the Florida Governor quipped that he “always appreciate(s) the support from African Americans!”
“I’m focused on 2022, but with @elonmusk what I would say is you know I welcome support from African-Americans. What can I say?” – @GovRonDeSantis pic.twitter.com/SuWQVLMORE
— Robbie Myers (@robbievmyers) June 15, 2022
Trump believes that if he runs he would easily defeat DeSantis for the Republican nomination. But he’s also left the door open regarding a ticket that would include DeSantis as his vice president.
EXCLUSIVE: On Thursday’s “Wake Up America,” @RobFinnertyUSA asked fmr. President Donald Trump if his family supported a possible 2024 presidential campaign. pic.twitter.com/SKPGsYesKL
— Newsmax (@newsmax) June 30, 2022
“Well, I get along with him,” Trump said of the possibility of a Trump-DeSantis 2024 ticket. “I was very responsible for his success, because I endorsed him and he went up like a rocket ship.”
The Turning Point USA straw poll also indicates President Bident is not the most concerning candidate coming from the Democrats’ side in 2024, earning just 4.4% as the toughest opponent for a GOP challenger.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was viewed as the most difficult Democrat to defeat at 30%, while former First Lady Michelle Obama can in at second with 13.6%.
