By A.G. Gancarski
FloridaPolitics.com
January 25, 2022
Trump says a split with DeSantis is ‘totally fake news.’ Pollsters still test the 2024 question.
A new Harvard/Harris poll commissioned by The Hill is building on other surveys showing Donald Trump is the favorite if the 2024 Republican presidential Primary was held right now.
The poll showed Trump with 57% support, well ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis at 12% and former Vice President Mike Pence at 11%.
Without Trump in the field, however, DeSantis is the favorite. DeSantis received 30% to Pence’s 24% and Sen. Ted Cruz’s 14%.
The Harvard/Harris Poll has been more favorable to Trump and Pence and less favorable to DeSantis than some other surveys of the thus far hypothetical race.
The November iteration found Trump nearly 60 points above Pence and DeSantis, with the former Vice President in second place in a field including the former President. With Trump excluded, DeSantis was the choice of 30% of likely voters, with Pence at 25%.
The fresh polling was released after a period of extended scrutiny of the dynamic between the former President and the Florida Governor.
“It’s totally fake news,” Trump said on Hannity last week, responding to reports of friction. “I think Ron said it last week, he said it very publicly, ‘The press is never going to get in the middle of my friendship with Donald Trump. We’re not going to do that stuff.’”
“I have a very good relationship with Ron,” Trump added. “And intend to have it for a long time.”
Trump’s comments came in the wake of widely reported tension between the two, including claims it would be “too much to ask” for DeSantis to preemptively endorse another Trump term in 2024, while he lamented a “dull” DeSantis.
Trump has said that DeSantis would never run against him, and that if the Governor did, Trump would win by “a lot.”
For his part, the Governor is trying to avoid giving engaging quotes on the matter.
“Don’t take the bait, and just kind of keep on keeping on. We need everybody united for a big red wave in 2022,” DeSantis said earlier this month on the Ruthless podcast.
Notes on the poll from The Hill: “The survey of 1,815 registered voters was conducted from Jan. 19-20. It is a collaboration of the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and the Harris Poll. It was an online sample drawn from the Harris Panel and weighted to reflect known demographics.”
I don’t understand why well-read & brilliant Reporters & Journalists don’t thoroughly find out the facts on a person they are reporting on! Please research! Gov. Ron DeSantis(FL) may be
running a 2nd to “djt”, but he’s as bad & sometimes worse than “trump”! I wouldn’t trust a Harvard Poll for any am’t of $$! After all, DeSantis graduated from Harvard & is such a backward, really ignorant guy, you may not want to include in print! Talk to Floridians who don’t live in the Villages! Thanks, mms
Shouldn’t the discussion be focused on the failures of the current administration vs who will be on the Republican ticket in 2024? Record inflation, Afghanistan failure, gas prices at a 7 year high while destroying our energy independence, immigration and southern border debacle, Covid mismanagement, violent crime surging across America, Russia poised to invade Ukraine sensing a tepid response from Biden, China positioning to take Taiwan because they recognize weakness, ignoring Iran’s continued funding of global terrorism, Hunter Biden escapades unchecked, supply chain issues, just to name a few. The pattern of ineptitude and an overwhelming lack of leadership is appalling. Heck, even CNN and MSNBC are now critical of Biden. And all we get from this administration are excuses. Maybe that is what should have you concerned, not if it’s Trump or DeSantis running in 2024.
Interesting to see how this plays out. I find it hard to believe that Republicans of sound mind would really want Trump back. The whole country saw what and who he was a chaotic liar with deep mental problems. It is pretty clear and it is the reason he lost to a really weak candidate. Who wants to go back to the endless strife and division he caused for 4 years? Now Desantis on the other hand has all the horrible policies Trump supporters like, but he isn’t a complete mental case. I am not sure why Ron is not way out in front of Trump. Seems like a much better tactical pick to me. Of course once Trump gets wind that Ron should be chosen over him he will then turn on him, try to tear him down, make fun of his wife, characterize him as something like “slow Ron” …we all know that is how it will play out.