Poll: Ron DeSantis faces 39-point deficit in Mississippi GOP Primary

Ron DeSantis. Image via AP.

New polling from the Magnolia State signals an uphill climb for Ron DeSantis ahead of the state’s GOP Presidential Primary next March.

The survey from the Siena College Research Institute shows DeSantis with just 22% support overall. That puts him far behind former President Donald Trump, the choice of 61% of those polled between Aug. 20 and Aug. 28.

DeSantis has a firm hold on second place, 16 points ahead of third place Chris Christie, who has 6% support.

The Primary is open to non-Republicans, and in that context it’s worthwhile to note DeSantis does better with independents and Democrats who intend to vote in the GOP Primary than he does with Republicans.

While Trump leads the Governor 76% to 18% with GOP registrants, the lead drops with Independents to 56% to 26%. Among crossover Democrats, meanwhile, DeSantis (36%) and Christie (27%) lead Trump (12%).

DeSantis leads Trump and Christie with voters who intend to vote for Democrat Brandon Presley for Governor as well, with 30% compared to 23% for the former President and the former New Jersey Governor.

Though DeSantis has done worse with female voters than with male voters in much polling of the 2024 cycle, the Magnolia State represents a marked difference, with women nearly twice as likely to back the Governor. While 29% of female voters say they’ll vote for DeSantis, just 16% of men have the same intention.

Interestingly, DeSantis also leads with “non-White” people who intend to vote in the GOP Presidential Primary, with 35% saying they back Florida’s Governor, compared to 23% for Christie and just 19% for Trump.

Educated voters are also most likely to back DeSantis and reject Trump, with 25% of those with college degrees backing the Governor and 42% preferring the former President, and no other candidate in double digits.