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Trump beating DeSantis in Florida by almost 40 points, new poll shows

By Christopher Heath, WFTV.com

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speak at midterm election rallies Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speak at midterm election rallies, in Dayton, Ohio, U.S. November 7, 2022 and Tampa, Florida, U.S., November 8, 2022 in a combination of file photos. REUTERS/Gaelen Morse, Marco Bello - RC2FHX9GU03S

By Christopher Heath, WFTV.com

With his campaign for the Republican nomination mired in a distant second place, Gov. Ron DeSantis received more bad news as a new poll of Florida Republican voters has DeSantis trailing former President Donald Trump 60-21 in a crowded field, a number that shrinks to 59-29 in a head-to-head matchup.

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“Despite historically high approval in the polls, Governor DeSantis losing steam in his home state doesn’t bode well for his national campaign,” said Dr. Michael Binder of the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab.

The UNF poll’s release comes just days after Trump and DeSantis crossed paths in Kissimmee with each man delivering remarks to the GOP’s Florida Freedom Summit, with DeSantis speaking just after lunch, while Trump gave his remarks to close the event.

Read: Polls open Tuesday across Central Florida for Election Day

The poll, which was conducted from late October to Nov. 4, sampled 788 registered Republicans with 90% indicating they will definitely vote in Florida’s Aug. 20 primary election. In addition to the top-of-the-ticket, the poll also looked ahead toward the 2026 race for governor with First Lady Casey DeSantis leading the field with 22%, followed by Congressman Byron Donalds and Matt Gaetz each at 9%.

As for Congress, almost half of Florida Republicans indicated the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy did not change their approval of the party, with 16% indicating the removal increased their approval, while 29% said the removal decreased their view of the GOP. Additionally, 58% of respondents indicated they had little to no trust in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Read: Can a Floridian win the presidency? It hasn’t happened yet as Trump and DeSantis vie to be first

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