Ron DeSantis returns to New Hampshire. Can he stop his decline in polls?

DeSantis New Hampshire
The Florida Governor is a distant third in polling, but on Tuesday, Gov. Chris Sununu is his wingman.

Gov. Ron DeSantis is headed back to the Granite State Tuesday, in an attempt to kick-start his presidential campaign in the first-in-the-nation Primary state.

DeSantis, as is often the case, will be attending events hosted by the supportive Never Back Down super PAC.

The main event of Tuesday’s trip will be a co-appearance with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu.

Sununu hasn’t endorsed, and he has appeared with DeSantis over the summer and with other candidates this cycle. On Tuesday, he will appear alongside DeSantis at a town hall event in the evocatively named town of Seacoast, which is directly north of Boston.

That town hall runs from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

DeSantis has openly courted Sununu’s endorsement, saying in August on “The Pulse of New Hampshire” that he thinks Sununu “has done a great job,” believes “New Hampshire is the best-governed state in New England, and “reject(s) Donald Trump’s attacks” on Sununu.

That sweet talk came 24 hours after Sununu said he had “concern” about the DeSantis campaign, and urged him to “get on the ground” and “put people on the ground in Iowa in New Hampshire, knocking on doors.”

Sununu’s “concern” about the DeSantis campaign parallels problems in the polls for the Florida Governor, who has been on a continual decline for months in the state.

According to the Race to the White House polling average, his 11% is good for third place, behind Trump (46%) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (15%).

But other polls have shown Haley further ahead in the battle for second place. A USA Today/Boston Globe/Suffolk Poll released earlier this month showed her with 19%, nearly doubling DeSantis’ 10%.

For his part, DeSantis has downplayed the polls as organically going “up and down.”

“New Hampshire Primaries are very volatile, as you know, so we have the groundwork in place. Now you’re going to start seeing us,” he said on the “Good Morning New Hampshire” radio show earlier this month, at which time he outlined his strategy.

“We’re going to be up in the town halls, we’re going to be doing all that because we know how important it is. So, we’re in good shape. I think that there’s a lot of real estate to go and we’re the only one that’s really, you know, challenging Donald Trump in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Some are focusing on one, some are focusing on others, we’re going to do both to the hilt because we know both are really important.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


15 comments

  • Earl Pitts "Florida's BIG VOICE on The Right" American

    October 24, 2023 at 7:46 am

    Good mornting America,
    A lot of our great Nation’s Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s woke up as Beloved USA Patriots on the mornting in which they heard about the HAMAS atrocities on Isreal. Unfortunatly they now must carry the guilt of what their years of liberal votes did to embolden the be-heading of those 45 inocent Babies.
    LONG STORY SHORT:
    Millions of former Dook 4 Brains Leftys will be voting Conservative. Many of you guilty former leftys are reading The Earl Of Politics sage words of wisdom right now.
    EPA

    • University of North Florida

      October 24, 2023 at 8:06 am

      You are so damn annoying

    • Mary G

      October 24, 2023 at 8:35 am

      Just read your first sentence, and ask yourself, who is it that actually has “Dook 4 Brains”?: “A lot of our great Nation’s Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s woke up as Beloved USA Patriots on the mornting in which they heard about the HAMAS atrocities on Isreal.”

    • JD

      October 24, 2023 at 9:19 am

      EarL Shitts’ delusional fantasy: “Millions of former Dook 4 Brains Leftys will be voting Conservative. Many of you guilty former leftys are reading The Earl Of Politics sage words of wisdom right now.”

      STFU EarL, the adults are talking now.

      • Earl Pitts "Florida's BIG VOICE on The Right" American

        October 24, 2023 at 9:55 am

        Why Oh Why, JD, do the Heathen Rage to The Earls truthfull words of Wisdom?
        As a Dook 4 Brains Lefty/Heathen you are totally qualified to respond to The Earl’s legit inquiry.
        Thanks in advance JD,
        EPA

        • JD

          October 24, 2023 at 11:45 am

          What was that Shitts? i cannot hear you from the kiddie table.

  • Michael K

    October 24, 2023 at 8:27 am

    It’s easy to see why Ron continues to slide. He’s out of touch and unappealing No one likes what he’s trying so hard to sell. He built his whole campaign on “anti-woke,” but never mentions it anymore. He will say anything to be outrageous and get attention – but it doesn’t work for him. MAGAs don’t want a mini-Trump – they want the real deal. Nikki is surging because she’s smart and not dumbing down. Ron spent all his capital hating drag queens and controlling women while insurance rates are through the roof. He’s just an empty suit with white boots who tries a new schtick every other week, poor thing.

    • JD

      October 24, 2023 at 9:15 am

      100% Michael K’s comment.

      • My Take

        October 24, 2023 at 11:49 am

        Yep. Perfect.

  • Earl Pitts "Florida's BIG VOICE on The Right" American

    October 24, 2023 at 9:30 am

    Good mornting America,
    My sidekick and faithfull employee Rick W. is running a little late this mornting. But stay tuned for one of his finest wacky leftist contrarian posts cleverly designed to elevate me, Earl Pitts American, The Planet’s most loved and most hated “Go-To-Political-GURU’s” of all time!!

    Get here as soon as you can Rick W, your tardyness is excused, and you will not suffer the wrath of your benevolant boss.
    Thank you America,
    EPA
    *ps: I encourage all my “Earl WannaBes” along with all my “Haters” to start at the top then read the comments below as you contimplate “exactly what was it that The Earl said” which caused the heathens in the responding commentary below my sage words of honest and truthfull wisdom to go into yet another of their demonic wailing, gnashing of teeth, 8utt-Hurt jellous replys to me, The Earl Of Politics.*

    • JD

      October 24, 2023 at 11:46 am

      You forgot the big “L” in your name EarL for “LOSER” when you signed this last post.

  • PeterH

    October 24, 2023 at 10:59 am

    DeSantis is an unlikable buffoon with horrible policies and a speaking narrative that sounds like a fifth grader. He’s been on the campaign trail for president since Trump was evicted from the Oval Office!

    What is there to like?

    • M. Mouse

      October 25, 2023 at 12:27 pm

      Well, for one thing he’s got a great sense of humor! Like when he says he should be President!
      Squeak!

  • My Take

    October 24, 2023 at 11:52 am

    The ONLY possible benefit ftom a DeSScamus surge (which isn’t going to happen) would be an amusing surge in venom from Trump.

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704