Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) support in the 2024 Republican primary continues to slip as former President Donald Trump dominates, May’s Harvard-Harris survey found.
The survey, coming on the rumored brink of the launch of DeSantis’s presidential campaign, shows Trump’s backing continuing to grow, with a majority of Republican voters, 58 percent, supporting him.
DeSantis comes in an extremely distant second, 42 points behind with 16 percent. That reflects a four-point drop from the 20 percent he garnered in the last survey.
Trump’s 58 percent, meanwhile, reflects a three-point boost for the former president.
No other challenger — or potential challenger — comes close, either. Anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley come 12 points behind DeSantis with four percent support each. Sen. Ted Cruz falls behind with three percent support, and all remaining potential challengers received one percent support or less.
Trump also handily defeats DeSantis in a head-to-head matchup, leading 65 percent to the governor’s 35 percent.
Harvard/Harris Poll: Trump Posts Biggest Lead Yet Over DeSantis
• Trump — 58% (+42)
• DeSantis — 16%
• Ramaswamy — 4%
• Pence — 4%
• Haley — 4%
• T. Scott — 1%
• Hutchinson — 1%2-Way:
• Trump — 65% (+30)
• DeSantis — 35%05/15-17 | RVshttps://t.co/SFFYM6RDOh pic.twitter.com/tVyHkJ5FwI
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) May 19, 2023
The survey was taken May 17-18, 2023, among 2,004 registered voters and coincides with the latest Morning Consult survey, which also found DeSantis waning in a national primary matchup. Their latest survey shows DeSantis slipping into the teens with 18 percent support. Trump is 43 points ahead with 61 percent:
Morning Consult Poll: Trump Posts Biggest Lead Yet Over DeSantis
Trump — 61% (+43)
DeSantis — 18%
Pence — 6%
Haley — 4%
Ramaswamy — 4%
Cheney — 2%
Abbot — 1%
T. Scott — 1%
Hutchinson — 1%May 12-14 | 3,571 registered votershttps://t.co/dQctcc1IMp pic.twitter.com/C2zq0HPApK
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) May 16, 2023
Trump has continued to criticize DeSantis as rumors swirl indicating that he could announce a presidential bid as early as next week.
“As I said – Ron is unelectable. I am up on Crooked Joe Biden by, at least, 7 and Ron DeSanctimonious is losing by 4. His ‘campaign’ has been a total disaster!” Trump exclaimed on Truth Social, sharing results of a recent poll.
“When the Ron DeSanctimonious facts come out, you will see that he is better than most Democrat Governors, but very average, at best, against Republican Governors,” Trump said in another post.
“How about the fact that he had the third most deaths of any State, as Governor, on the China Virus. Even Cuomo did better, #4. He shut down everything, EVEN HIS BEACHES. Other Republican Govs didn’t. Look at the Disney MESS, could have worked an easy settlement, but no, he wanted the Fake News to show what a tough guy he is. He’s not!” Trump exclaimed: