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Posted on 08/16/2023 8:56:20 AM PDT by Red Badger

Former President Donald Trump is shattering records of support for a single candidate in the GOP race to take on President Joe Biden next year, with the latest poll showing him garnering support from nearly two of every three likely primary voters.

The Rasmussen polling firm released results showing that President Trump commands 60 percent of support from GOP primary voters and maintains a chasmic 47-point lead over his nearest rival, biotechnology businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. The dark horse candidate has eclipsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis with 13 percent to DeSantis’ 8 percent, a stunning development from just months ago when the governor led Ramaswamy 14 percent to 3 percent.

According to RealClearPolitics, Trump is averaging about 54 percent nationally, surpassing the critical 50 percent threshold that means even if all other candidates in the race got behind a single alternative, President Trump would still beat him or her in a head-to-head matchup.

The well of support is not only broad for the 45th president, but deep as well. Among his faithful, 83 percent said they are “absolutely certain” about their support in the GOP primary. By comparison, 38% of DeSantis supporters expressed a similar sentiment with 62% declaring that something could change their mind about the Florida governor.

Further down in the poll, Rasmussen showed that a generic GOP candidate now leads a generic Democrat candidate 48 percent to 43 percent, the highest showing for the GOP so far this year.

The development for President Trump, combined with other polling showing him defeating President Joe Biden in a head-to-head matchup, is sure to be the talk of the GOP’s first debate, set to be held August 23rd in Milwaukee. The Republican National Committee has required participants to meet certain polling and fundraising benchmarks as well as sign a “loyalty pledge” to support the party’s eventual nominee.

In a sign of his swagger, the former president has privately told allies that he’s “up by too many points” and that debating his low-performing rivals would only hurt him by opening him up to criticism on all fronts. The Republican frontrunner, who has refused to sign the loyalty pledge, has toyed with hosting his own competing event.

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