While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not declared a 2024 presidential bid, he's leading former President Donald Trump 39% to 37% among registered Republican and Republican-leaning independent voters, according to a new CNN national poll.
Among the total number of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents surveyed, however, Trump leads DeSantis 40% to 36%.
The CNN poll suggests that Trump's candidacy is buoyed by younger, less affluent, and less educated voters, while DeSantis draws his support from older, well-heeled, and better educated voters.
Trump leads DeSantis 48% to 28% among those younger than 45, while DeSantis leads Trump 40% to 35% among those older than 45.
Among those who earn less than $50,000 per year, Trump leads DeSantis 52% to 27%, with DeSantis leading Trump 41% to 33% among those who earn more than $50,000 per year.
White Republicans and Republican-leaning independents without a college degree preferred Trump over DeSantis 43% to 38%; college-educated white Republicans and Republican-leaning independents picked DeSantis over Trump 42% to 23%.
In enthusiasm, DeSantis carries only a slight edge on Trump, with 47% saying they would be enthusiastic and 27% saying they would be satisfied but not enthusiastic if he was the nominee. Respondents reported that 46% would be enthusiastic and 25% would be satisfied but not enthusiastic if Trump was the nominee.
Seven percent would be dissatisfied but not upset, and 5% would be upset if DeSantis were not the nominee; 14% would be dissatisfied but not upset and 14% that would be upset if Trump were not the nominee.
Only 1% reported they do not know enough about Trump to say, while 15% reported they do not know enough about DeSantis.
Trump and DeSantis scored significantly higher than former Vice President Mike Pence, whom just 13% of those polled would be enthusiastic about and 30% would be satisfied but not enthusiastic.
Thirty-three percent would be dissatisfied but not upset and 16% would be upset by Pence as the GOP presidential nominee.
Pence is currently a distant fourth among registered Republican voters, with 6% saying they would support his candidacy. DeSantis comes in at 39%, Trump at 37%, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 7%.
Of those four, only Trump and Haley have declared candidacy.
The poll was conducted March 8-12 and surveyed 1,045 respondents. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.8 percentage points.
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