Former President Donald Trump has increased his massive lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary race, a Quinnipiac survey released this week found.
The survey asked respondents, “If the Republican primary for president were being held today, and the candidates were: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy, Larry Elder, Doug Burgum, and Will Hurd for whom would you vote?”
Overall, 62 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners said they would vote for Trump — putting him a full 50 points ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 12 percent support.
Trump’s 62 percent reflects a five-point increase since August, and DeSantis’s 12 percent reflects a six-point decrease over the same period of time.
Anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy came in third place with six percent support, followed by both former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence, whom five percent chose. That reflects a one-point increase for Pence and a two-point jump for Haley since August.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott followed with three percent support, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson came in with two percent and one percent, respectively.
The survey also asked respondents, “Which comes closer to your line of thinking: you are firmly set on your choice for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination no matter what happens leading up to the Republican primary or you might change your choice for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination depending on what happens leading up to the Republican primary?”
Half said they are “firmly set” in their choice, with 68 percent of those who chose Trump stating they are “firmly set” in their choice.
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The survey also found Trump edging out President Biden by one point — 47 percent to 46 percent. Quinnipiac noted that this is “essentially a dead heat and unchanged from Quinnipiac University’s August poll when Biden received 47 percent support and Trump received 46 percent support among registered voters.”