Twenty percent of registered voters say they would pick Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over all other GOP candidates in the 2024 presidential election if former President Donald Trump does not seek the Republican nomination, according to a poll released Wednesday by Echelon Insights.
DeSantis, who is widely expected to launch a bid for the GOP nomination in 2024, will reportedly head to the battleground state of Pennsylvania in May to speak at a local Republican Party event. The rising GOP star is followed in the poll by former Vice President Mike Pence (16%), Donald Trump, Jr. (9%), Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (8%), former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (6%), Utah Sen. Mitt Romney (4%), Fla. Sen. Marco Rubio (2%), Fox personality Tucker Carlson (2%), Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (1%), South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (1%) and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley (1%).
Trump has not committed to a 2024 run, though teased the idea again a few weeks ago during an appearance on Fox News on April 19, telling host Sean Hannity, “I’m looking at it very seriously, beyond seriously. From a legal standpoint, I don’t really want to talk about it yet, it’s a little too soon.”
Trump’s plans are the subject of the biggest guessing game in the political world, especially by people planning their own presidential campaigns, including Pompeo, Noem and Pence.
Pompeo has tried to boost his political appearance in recent weeks, making speaking appearances in Iowa and New Hampshire, involving himself in legislative efforts in D.C. and joining Fox News as a contributor.
“He’s setting himself up to be the leader on America First foreign policy after President Trump,” one Republican consultant told The Hill. “He’s leaning on the experience that he has in order to stand out and stay in the spotlight.”
“I think that might be a smart move,” the consultant added. “He’s essentially showing off his leadership skills and talking up President Trump’s agenda at the same time, which makes it difficult for anyone, including Trump, to see him as overstepping or betraying Trump.”
Trump Jr., Trump’s eldest son, has been linked with a possible presidential run, though hasn’t announced anything. Haley earlier this month said she would support Trump if he ran for office again in 2024 and that she would not run for president if he did.
The Echelon Insights poll, conducted April 16-23, surveyed 1,043 national registered voters.
Source: Newmax
