2024 poll: Ron DeSantis leading Donald Trump in New Hampshire

Image via AP.

Another poll shows Gov. Ron DeSantis may be very competitive against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in 2024.

A new poll by the University of New Hampshire shows DeSantis with 47% support against Biden, who had 46%. This is a statistical tie, as the margin of error is 3.3 percentage points among the 939 voters polled overall.

DeSantis also is strong in a potential Primary. He earned 39% with former President Trump two points behind the Florida Governor. Way back in third place: former Vice President Mike Pence, with 9% support.

The margin of error in the GOP sample is 5.5 percentage points, meaning that the race also is statistically tied.

DeSantis has considerably improved his position since last July, when Trump commanded 47% support among Granite State GOP voters, 28 points ahead of the Governor.

DeSantis also was the top second choice GOP Primary candidate, drawing 30% support in that role compared to 24% for Trump. A full 60% of those who chose Trump as their main preference saw DeSantis as their preferred alternative, yet another indication DeSantis’ star is on the rise.

DeSantis also was the most popular candidate among potential Primary voters, with 66% net favorability, 20 points higher than Trump and even farther over the rest of the field.

The poll also looked at the relative favorability of all potential candidates in a 2024 General Election, and though DeSantis was at -9, with 36% approval and 45% disapproval, that was the second-best performance for all potential candidates among the 939 voters polled. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was at -8, the “best” performance.

Though the Governor is underwater here, it could be worse: Sen. Rick Scott is at a staggering -31 overall, with 10% approval against 41% disapproval.

Trump continues to try to put DeSantis in a subordinate role, telling a friendly Newsmax interviewer this week he was “very responsible” for the former Congressman winning the Governor’s race four years ago.

Trump, in a New Yorker interview published this week, again said DeSantis likely wouldn’t run. But if DeSantis did, Trump maintained he would defeat DeSantis.

Quotes along these lines from Trump have been often repeated as DeSantis has become more of a peer figure among the grassroots GOP.

Trump has also previously said he thought DeSantis would “drop out” of any 2024 race if Trump got in.

DeSantis has been coy when asked about 2024, calling the chatter about it “nonsense” for months. He sidestepped this topic as recently as a Fox News interview this month. He continues to downplay recent straw polls showing him as a leading presidential contender in 2024.

The Club for Growth says it polled the potential GOP matchup at the state level, and Trump is the consistent winner. However, in a public poll of arguably the most important state early in the calendar, it’s DeSantis who appears to have the juice.