Ron DeSantis finishes behind JD Vance, Steve Bannon in 2028 CPAC straw poll

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Another presidential poll finds Florida’s Governor taking the bronze medal.

Gov. Ron DeSantis got 7% in the CPAC 2025 straw poll vote, narrowly trailing Steve Bannon (12%) and far behind Vice President JD Vance (61%).

Other Florida politicians also had some backing.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has 3% support, while Sen. Rick Scott is at 1%.

DeSantis continues to be at or below 10% in straw or scientific polls.

An Echelon Insights survey conducted between Feb. 10 and Feb. 13 found the Governor of Florida at 10% support, 29 points behind Vance.

Other polls have shown DeSantis far behind Vance as well.

A January survey from McLaughlin & Associates showed DeSantis at 8%, behind Vance and Donald Trump Jr.

DeSantis was also at 8% in an Echelon Insights poll of the theoretical contest conducted last year, with Vance nearly 30 points ahead of him.

DeSantis’ comments about his future intentions have been all over the place, meanwhile, but he clearly is not closing the door.

“Oh, I haven’t ruled anything out,” DeSantis said in February 2024, addressing the 2028 question during a call with people who pledged to be his delegates at the GOP Convention.

“We’ll see what the future holds,” DeSantis said to a radio host in Iowa in January of last year.

While Vance appears to be the runaway favorite this far out, Trump made news on Super Bowl Sunday when he said Vance was not the 2028 Republican heir apparent during a Fox News interview, though Trump did call the former Ohio Senator and best-selling author “very capable.”

“It’s too early,” the President said.