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DeSantis sees massive popularity jump in Iowa while Trump ‘becomes a severe underdog’: Poll

November 23, 2022 | | Print Article

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ popularity is surging outside the Sunshine State and former President Donald Trump is “a severe underdog in the race,” according to a new poll released Monday.

In a poll of potential Iowa Caucus–goers released by Neighborhood Research and Media, DeSantis gained 20 points, putting him neck and neck with the embattled Trump, who lost a 21-point lead over the governor since June.

Of the 393 respondents to the new poll from Neighborhood Research and Media, 32 percent selected DeSantis as the front runner, compared to 30 percent for Trump, with a margin of error of +/- 5 points.

“With support barely half what it was a year ago in a time when DeSantis’s vote has nearly tripled, Trump becomes a severe underdog in the race,” said Rick Shaftan with Neighborhood Research.

In the same poll conducted one year ago, Trump had a substantial lead over DeSantis, outweighing the former congressman 56 to 12.

Iowa is the first state in the nation to hold primary elections and is often seen as a harbinger of what’s to come nationally as candidates seek the nomination. Iowans voted overwhelmingly for Trump in the last two presidential elections.

Other state-level polls also show DeSantis gaining on the GOP’s juggernaut. WPA Intelligence polls conducted on behalf of Club for Growth Action on November 13 show the Florida governor with an 11-point lead in Iowa and a 15-point lead in New Hampshire.

Trump dropped from 52 percent support in New Hampshire in August to 37 percent in November, compared to DeSantis’ climb from 37 to 48 percent during the same period. Georgia saw even greater gains for DeSantis who now holds a 20-point lead over Trump.

“Other Club for Growth polls suggest that DeSantis is preferred by GOP voters in Florida, Georgia, and New Hampshire. He also leads in Texas, according to a CWS Research,” National Review reported. “Nationally, the picture is less clear. DeSantis outpaced Trump by seven points in a YouGov poll that was conducted right after the midterms, but other polls, including from Emerson University and Harris Insights and Analytics, indicate that Trump still holds a commanding lead.”

DeSantis has long led in a primary matchup in his home state, showing a 7-point lead in a hypothetical election in a poll conducted in September.

Trump’s foes and critics have been dancing a jig on his political grave with many blaming him for the failure to retake the Senate, especially in Pennsylvania where his hand-picked candidate, Dr. Mehmet Oz lost in a humiliating fashion to the mentally incapacitated John Fetterman. But as Trump has repeatedly proven over the years, the bombastic billionaire businessman is amazingly resilient and can never be counted out.

Dubbing his main challenger “Ron DeSanctimonious,” Trump has already begun his campaign against DeSantis. Time will tell if the Florida governor has what it takes to withstand a full-frontal attack from the MAGA machine.

“Until I see evidence that somebody is able to beat him among voters, Trump remains the frontrunner,” New York Times author Maggie Haberman said during a recent interview.

 

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