Republican and Republican-leaning Independents have shifted their views of who they believe is the best choice to be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in 2024.
A new survey conducted by YouGov after Tuesday’s midterm elections found that conservatives now want Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to be the party’s nominee.
“More Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents now say they’d prefer DeSantis (42%) as their 2024 presidential nominee over Trump than say they’d prefer Trump to DeSantis (35%),” the survey found. “That’s a reversal from nearly a month ago, when — according to a Yahoo News/YouGov poll of U.S. adults — just 35% preferred DeSantis and 45% said they preferred Trump.”
People who considered themselves to be strong Republicans were split evenly between the two candidates, but Independent-leaning Republicans supported DeSantis by a more than 2-to-1 margin.
NEW: More Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents now say they'd prefer DeSantis (42%) as their 2024 presidential nominee over Trump than say they'd prefer Trump to DeSantis (35%). In an October poll w/@YahooNews, Trump was preferred, 45% to 35%.https://t.co/DKd1ugnNrs pic.twitter.com/i1OtpLVASJ
— YouGov America (@YouGovAmerica) November 12, 2022
There are two major factors that have driven the shift in who Republicans want to be the party’s leader moving forward: The party’s lackluster performance in the midterm elections outside of Florida, and Trump’s attacks on DeSantis, which have been widely scorned by conservatives.
The highlight for the party was how Republicans performed in the state of Florida as the party’s candidates dominated in blowout fashion, exceeding the forecast margins of victory. DeSantis won by 19.5 points, amassing more than 1.5 million more votes than Democrat opponent Charlie Crist. DeSantis’ victory in the state was so dominate that he won 62 of the state’s 67 counties, including 59 by double digits.
Trump repeatedly attacked the Florida governor in the days leading up to the election and has repeatedly launched unprovoked attacks on him in the days since the election.
Trump began his statement, saying, “NewsCorp, which is Fox, the Wall Street Journal, and the no longer great New York Post (bring back Col!), is all in for Governor Ron DeSanctimonious, an average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations, who didn’t have to close up his State, but did, unlike other Republican Governors, whose overall numbers for a Republican, were just average—middle of the pack—including COVID, and who has the advantage of SUNSHINE, where people from badly run States up North would go no matter who the Governor was, just like I did!”
Trump continued by saying that DeSantis was “desperate” in 2017 and that DeSantis “had low approval, bad polls, and no money, but he said that if I would Endorse him, he could win.”
“I also fixed his campaign, which had completely fallen apart,” Trump continued. “I was all in for Ron, and he beat Gillum, but after the Race, when votes were being stolen by the corrupt Election process in Broward County, and Ron was going down ten thousand votes a day, along with now-Senator Rick Scott, I sent in the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys, and the ballot theft immediately ended, just prior to them running out of the votes necessary to win. I stopped his Election from being stolen…”
“And now, Ron DeSanctimonious is playing games!” Trump concluded in his attack on DeSantis. “The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future.’ Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer.”
The backlash to Trump’s remarks from the political Right was swift and far-reaching:
Dear Trump Hardcores,
Times change. It is not 2015. It is 2022. Almost 2023. Shouting “ESTABLISHMENT!” or “RINO” at anyone who criticizes Trump will not work this time around. He is losing supporters. His own supporters. He is. I’m trying to HELP you. Wake up. https://t.co/4lEVYz1JhN
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) November 12, 2022
No it hasn’t. If Trump is dumb enough to attack the guy EVERY Republican in America is currently happy with, this primary is already over. He’s gonna lose at least half his support to DeSantis overnight. https://t.co/hYiRSN0Scg
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) November 10, 2022
And for those who argue that Trump is just fighting back against DeSantis, point to any public statement of DeSantis saying anything negative about Trump. This is a one-way street on that front and the former president looks small in doing so.
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) November 11, 2022
trump crying about desantis right now on truth social makes him look weak af
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) November 10, 2022
For six years we've been hearing how Comey, Mueller, Schiff, Vindman, Biden, Garland etc were going to take Trump down. In the end, he took himself down. https://t.co/PNYr9W2Ctr
— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) November 10, 2022
It’s a stupid nickname and a stupid comment and if this is how Trump wants to go he’s going to lose his primary. But he’s a big boy and he can do what he wants. https://t.co/w8unDDizWo
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) November 10, 2022
Absolutely pathetic loser shit. https://t.co/7CiEgy5iaE
— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) November 10, 2022
Especially when it was your administration that pressured the states to adopt the initial “14 days to stop the spread” lockdown🤨
— Kaylee McGhee White (@KayleeDMcGhee) November 10, 2022
Also https://t.co/Js4AiFSybx pic.twitter.com/sD1xFa2WZ6
— Eduardo Neret (@eduneret) November 10, 2022
Some clear takeaways:
– New Yorkers want crime. It’s who they are. Stay out of cities.
– Arizona today shows 2024 is unsafe. Indictments must happen. Highest priority.
– Trump can’t carry a general.
– DeSantis can pull independent voters. Flipped Miami Dade. It’s his time.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 9, 2022
Trump has 0 shot at 2024 general. After tonight, this isn’t up for debate. I was around in 2015 when he had “no chance,” and accurately said he’d win. Threw biggest inauguration event in 2017.
Times change or he changed or whatever.
DeSantis in 2024 or accept total defeat.
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) November 9, 2022