Another Georgia poll shows Ron DeSantis 42 points behind Donald Trump

Ron DeSantis continues to struggle against Donald Trump in a border state.

New polling from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution shows the Governor 42 points behind the former President among Peach State Republicans.

The survey of 245 likely voters, conducted from Sept. 23 through Sept. 28, shows Trump with 58%, well ahead of DeSantis’ 16%.

Other candidates are in single digits, led by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s 7%.

It’s unclear how much of the polling was before Wednesday night’s Republican presidential debate, but it’s worth noting that a poll taken at the end of last month also reflected a 42-point gap between the front-runner and his leading challenger.

In the August survey from the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs, the Florida Governor had just 15% support among the 807 Peach State Republicans polled. Trump’s 57% came after he was arrested in the state, accused of trying to overturn results from the 2020 General Election.

These polls are marginally worse for DeSantis than the Race to the White House polling average for the state, which reflects a 57% to 17% deficit.

The Governor campaigned in Georgia last month, where he kissed the ring of the state’s leading college football factory and lamented players leaving Florida to play the game.

“I will say as somebody who was born and raised in Florida, the Florida-Georgia game was a little easier lift for us back in the day than it is now. And you Georgians know what I mean,” said DeSantis, an alum of Yale University and Harvard Law School.

“So, congratulations on all the success,” DeSantis added. “We’ve done better on almost everything policy-wise. I can point out many things. College football has not necessarily been one of them. So we’re trying to turn the corner.”

DeSantis has also courted the support of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who is no fan of the former President. Yet despite these efforts, the race in the Peach State is a one-sided affair.