Poll: More GOP Primary voters disappointed with Ron DeSantis as 2028 nominee than supportive

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Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential aspirations are meeting a cool reaction from the people who would vote in GOP Primaries and Caucuses.

A YouGov survey in the field from March 30 through April 1 shows that while 8% of Republicans and GOP-leaning respondents back the former 2024 candidate making a second run, 10% of respondents would be disappointed if he were nominated.

DeSantis is far behind Vice President JD Vance, the runaway first choice to be the nominee, with 43%. Donald Trump Jr. also leads DeSantis, with 11% support.

It’s not all bad news, though, as 43% of potential GOP Primary voters say they would consider voting for DeSantis. Vance leads there too, with 68%.

On the bright side for DeSantis, he doubles Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s 4% support for the nomination.

DeSantis said last year that he hasn’t “ruled anything out” and that he will “see what the future holds.” But this survey suggests the future may present some challenges.

While 8% is not where DeSantis wants to be, it’s better than the 7% he had in a March survey of Republican voters from Echelon Insights.

Overall, though, DeSantis struggles in every recent survey.

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

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.

At a straw poll conducted at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, DeSantis mustered 7% support, finishing far behind Vance’s 61% and also behind Steve Bannon, whose 12% support surprised many observers.

As of now, DeSantis couldn’t win his home state, according to one survey.

A survey released exclusively to Florida Politics by Fabrizio Lee & Associates shows that Vance would defeat the Governor 47% to 33%.