DeSantis leads Trump by wide margin in new Suffolk poll of Republican voters
BOSTON - A new poll finds Republican voters may want to go in a different direction for the 2024 presidential primary.
The survey from Suffolk University in Boston shows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leading former President Donald Trump 56% to 33% in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup. Trump has declared his candidacy, while DeSantis has not.
"There's a new Republican sheriff in town," Suffolk polling director David Paleologos said in a statement. "DeSantis outpolls Trump not only among the general electorate, but also among these Republican-leaning voters who have been the former president's base. Republicans and conservative independents increasingly want Trumpism without Trump."
Paleologos notes that if there are multiple Republican candidates in the field, it could divide the "anti-Trump" vote and cut down support for DeSantis.
The poll also found that DeSantis comes out ahead of President Joe Biden 47% to 43% in a potential general election race, while Trump trails Biden, 47% to 40%. Biden's approval rating is 46% among voters, and Trump's is 30%, according to the poll.
A strong majority of voters don't want to see either Biden or Trump on the ballot, according to the poll. It found 69% of voters are against a Trump run, while 67% oppose Biden seeking another term.
The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters across the country between December 7-11. Click here for links to the full results.