After the recent announcement that he will be running again in 2024, Trump is unlikely to face the same opposition from the GOP establishment as his first bid for the presidency, given that the ‘America First’ element he spearheaded is much stronger, with candidates throughout the country.
It remains to be seen, however, whether ‘America First’ equates to Trump loyalism.
A recent YouGov poll found that 41% of Republicans want Ron DeSantis to be the party’s next presidential candidate, with 39% saying the same of Donald Trump. Counting independents and Democrats as well, the poll puts DeSantis ahead by three points, compared to Trump’s 20%, with 41% wanting neither.
The poll comes on the heels of the midterm elections in which Republicans underperformed compared to what some analysts expected to be a “red wave,” with Trump-backed candidates not doing particularly well. This means Trump’s support can no longer be perceived as key for aspiring Republicans.
For his part, the 45th president was extremely critical of DeSantis following the midterms, which may serve to polarize the party between the two figures.
