Will DeSantis get the one-on-one shot 2016 candidates never did?

Washington Examiner ^ | July 31, 2022 | Conn Carroll

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Suffolk University has a new poll out, including a question on Republican voter preferences for the 2024 presidential election, and while it is noteworthy that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is within 9 points of former President Donald Trump at 43%-34%, what is more striking is how little support the other possible candidates get.

Vice President Mike Pence is at 7%, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WV) at 3%, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 1%.

Contrast DeSantis’s strong second-place rank to where Republicans were at this point in August 2015. Trump was in front at 22%, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was at 13%, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker at 12%, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) at 7%, Ben Carson at 6%, Mike Huckabee at 6%, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) at 5%.

There was no clear alternative to Trump.

SNIP

If Trump and DeSantis do both run, Trump is going to be in for a primary fight far different than the one he survived in 2016.

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