Donald Trump and Joe Biden Should Both Fear Ron DeSantis – Here’s Why: Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis shouldn’t be hiring a decorator to give the Oval Office a makeover just yet, but according to a recent Monmouth University Poll, he now holds a double-digit lead over former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
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Donald Trump vs. Ron
Fifty-three percent of voters surveyed said they’d back DeSantis, compared to just 40 percent for Donald Trump.
It looks increasingly like many of the GOP establishment is ready to move on from Trump.
Those 49 percent describing themselves as “strong” Republicans picked the Florida governor, compared to 46 for the former president. Trump’s numbers are far worse for those who “lean Republican” where just 32 percent favored him, while 60 percent backed DeSantis.
In another survey, conducted by the conservative Club for Growth earlier this month, DeSantis had a lead of 49 to 40 percent over Trump in a hypothetical match-up between the two.
Trump is currently the only Republican running for the 2024 Presidential nomination, have launched his campaign last November at a low-key event – at least for the former president – at his Mar-a-Largo home/club in Palm Beach, Florida.
“America’s comeback starts right now,” Trump said in making his announcement. He has since visited the early primary state of New Hampshire, where he held another smaller-than-usual event.
DeSantis is expected to announce a White House run, but has yet to make it official. However, even the speculation that the Florida governor could throw his hat into the ring was seen as the ultimate slight by Trump, who has repeatedly called DeSantis disloyal.
“So then when I hear he might run, I consider that very disloyal. But it’s not about loyalty – but to me it is, it’s always about loyalty – but for a lot of people it’s not about loyalty,” Trump told reporters last month.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is expected to announce her campaign this month, but she currently remains a long shot at best – and could be looking to be the eventual V.P. nominee.
Ron DeSantis Vs. Joe Biden
In addition to the baggage that Trump could bring to the campaign – including his numerous lawsuits – there is another factor at play as to why GOP voters are ready to move on. As an early January poll from Club for Growth also found, Trump would lose in a rematch to President Joe Biden, receiving just 41 percent to Biden’s 48 percent support. That eight-point disadvantage is outside the poll’s three-point margin for error.
However, in a head-to-head matchup between Biden and DeSantis, the governor had the edge receiving a theatrical 45 percent of the vote to Biden’s 42 percent. Another January poll, from Suffolk University, also showed DeSantis marginally defeating the current commander-in-chief.
This very much explains why Governor DeSantis doesn’t want to become Candidate DeSantis too soon. Trump succeeded in 2016 by picking off a crowded GOP field, so by waiting there is less time for the former president to go on an attack.
On the flip side, Biden needs to hope that Trump can successfully destroy his opponents including DeSantis.
Primary season is still a year away, and a lot will happen by then. Yet, DeSantis will remain the candidate to watch by both Trump’s and Biden’s teams.
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Author Experience and Expertise
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
