Poll: Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy tie for second in Nevada, 49 points behind Donald Trump

Donald Trump. Image via AP.

New polling from an early state in the Republican nomination process presents bad news for Ron DeSantis.

The survey of 400 likely Republican Primary voters in Nevada, commissioned by the Republican Main Street Partnership and Women2Women and conducted by The Tarrance Group, shows the Florida Governor at 11%, tied with Vivek Ramaswamy.

The two candidates, meanwhile, are way behind former President Donald Trump and his formidable 60% support.

Nikki Haley is in fourth place with 8% support, and no other candidate has more than 3% in the survey conducted between Oct. 6 and Oct. 10.

The Nevada Primary is more or less ceremonial in 2024, given that all 26 delegates (roughly 1% of the total for the GOP) the state will offer next February will be allocated via a caucus vote which is two days after the popular vote. But the polling offers the latest indication that Trump is the runaway favorite.

Another recent poll, which was released this week, of 650 likely Nevada Republican caucusgoers from CNN shows the Florida Governor with 13% support, with Trump at 65%.

If 2024 is anything like 2016, the election won’t be close. In that election, Trump got nearly 46% in Nevada’s caucus, exceeding the combined support garnered by U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida.

Never Back Down, DeSantis’ supportive super PAC, targeted Nevada with mail early this year explaining why the then-undeclared potential presidential candidate should be the next Republican nominee.

The pieces extol the Governor’s “blue-collar backbone forged with steel” and “honor, courage and commitment.”

But the advertising didn’t help. DeSantis has gone from 30 points behind this summer to a roughly 50-point deficit this fall.

The Florida Governor also made a pilgrimage to the state in June for the Basque Fry, where most of the remarks were like those he delivered elsewhere, except for the mention that Nevada and Florida are “both areas that receive a lot of disgruntled Californians.”