More Republicans express confidence in former President Donald Trump to handle several major issues in the country — from energy to China relations — than Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the latest Morning Consult data found.
The latest Morning Consult survey found Trump leading DeSantis by 34 points in the Republican primary race. A majority, 56 percent, support him, compared to 22 percent who support DeSantis. No other individual listed garners over five percent support.
Morning Consult found Trump with another advantage as well: Republicans tend to trust him more on a wide range of issues. For example, 71 percent of Republicans said they trust Trump to handle the economy, compared to 19 percent who said the same of DeSantis. Nearly three-quarters, 72 percent, trust Trump to handle relations with China, while 18 percent said the same of DeSantis.
Similarly, 71 percent trust Trump on national security and 69 percent trust him on foreign policy, compared to 19 percent who said the same for DeSantis on national security and 20 percent who trust him on foreign policy.
That trend continues on a range of other issues:
Gun Policy
Trump: 62 percent
DeSantis: 25 percent
Protecting Medicare and Social Security
Trump: 60 percent
DeSantis: 25 percent
Public Safety
Trump: 60 percent
DeSantis: 25 percent
Immigration
Trump: 70 percent
DeSantis: 20 percent
Health Care
Trump: 60 percent
DeSantis: 25 percent
Energy
Trump: 62 percent
DeSantis: 25 percent
Trump and DeSantis seem to have the closest gaps on the issues of education and race relations, although Trump still boasts a double digit lead, as 53 percent trust Trump to handle education as well as race relations, compared to 33 percent who trust DeSantis with education and 31 percent who said the same of race relations.
The survey was taken May 24-27, 2023, among 777 potential Republican primary voters and has a +/- 4 percent margin of error.
It coincides with the results of a LX News/YouGov poll, which also found Republicans viewing Trump as better able to handle a range of issues.
As Breitbart News reported:
Trump takes the edge on virtually every issue among Republicans. Sixty-one percent of Republicans, for example, believe Trump can better the economy, compared to 13 percent who say DeSantis and 16 percent who believe they could handle it both “equally.”
Further, one-third of Republicans believe Trump can better handle the issue of abortion, compared to 21 percent who choose Trump and 31 percent who say they could handle it “equally.” Similarly, 31 percent of Republicans better trust Trump to handle the coronavirus, compared to 22 percent who say DeSantis and 34 percent who say they could handle it “equally.”
The surveys come as DeSantis visits the early voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina this week.
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