The latest CNN/University of New Hampshire primary poll of that state, released Wednesday, found that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been bleeding support in New Hampshire. DeSantis sits in fifth place with just 10 percent support.
Donald Trump leads the field in New Hampshire with 39 percent, according to the poll, followed by Vivek Ramaswamy with 13 percent. Nikki Haley is in third place with 12 percent while Chris Christie is in fourth with 11 percent, all ahead of DeSantis. Per CNN, Trump’s lead is smaller in New Hampshire than it is nationally.
According to The Hill, DeSantis had 23 percent support in New Hampshire in the July version of the poll. In that time, CNN said, DeSantis has gone from 26 percent support among self-described Republican moderates to 6 percent currently.
Much of that support has gone to other candidates. According to CNN’s analysis, Ramaswamy has made gains among younger voters, while Christie has done well with moderates and Democrats who plan to vote in the Republican primary. Haley has also made gains among moderates, as well as more educated voters.
“The poll suggests a sizable share of voters are open to changing their minds between now and the primary, which is expected to be held in January but does not yet have an official date,” CNN said in its analysis of the poll. “The share of likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire who say they have definitely decided whom to support holds steady compared with the July UNH poll at 36%, with 38% saying they are leaning toward a candidate and 24% still trying to decide. Trump’s supporters are more likely to say they have made up their minds – 69% of Trump voters in the primary say they’ve definitely decided, compared with just 18% of those backing other candidates.”
Ron DeSantis Has a New Hampshire Problem
According to Politico, DeSantis is in deep trouble in the Granite State, after several months of spending more time in Iowa than he has there. In fact, he hasn’t been in New Hampshire in over a month and has no plans to visit the state until mid-October.
“There has not been enough emphasis on holding town hall events, several a day, day after day, where you kick the doors open to the public, clearly and effectively define your vision for the country and then take every question under the sun,” Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist, and New Hampshire native told Politico.
“The campaign for Ron DeSantis is on life support,” another New Hampshire GOP strategist, Mike Dennehy, told Politico. “He has one shot at resuscitation and that is the debate next week.”
The second primary debate is scheduled for next week in California. Trump has announced that he will once again skip the debate and will travel to Detroit to give a speech, while DeSantis, Ramaswamy, Mike Pence, Haley, Scott, and Christie have all qualified so far for the debate.
North Dakota Gov. Burgum and former Gov. Așa Hutchinson, who were both in the first debate, have not yet qualified for the second.
Earlier this week, on a visit to Texas, DeSantis unveiled his energy policy, which sets a goal of getting gas prices back down to $2 per gallon in 2025. The governor plans to get there by pulling out of global climate agreements, getting rid of electric vehicle mandates, and repealing environmental restrictions.
“As your president, I will restore our freedom to fuel. I will ensure that the United States of America is the dominant energy producer in the entire world. I will ensure that this country does not have to rely on hostile nations for its energy needs ever again,” he said in the speech, delivered in front of two oil rigs.
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Stephen Silver is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive. He is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Stephen has authored thousands of articles over the years that focus on politics, technology, and the economy for over a decade. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
