National Poll: Trump Leads GOP, Haley Overtakes DeSantis for Second

Former President Donald Trump is leading the Republican primary race with a majority of GOP voters backing him, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has edged out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place, the latest Wall Street Journal survey found.

The survey asked Republican primary voters, “If the Republican Presidential (Caucus/Primary) were held today, for which of the
following candidates would you vote?”

As is consistent with virtually every other survey released throughout the GOP primary, Trump leads the field by double digits, earning 59 points. Haley overtook DeSantis for second place, 44 points behind Trump with 15 percent support. DeSantis falls closely behind, officially in third place with 14 percent support.

No other candidate earned double digit support. Anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy received four percent support, followed by former Gov. Chris Christie with two percent. Six percent remain undecided.

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North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who dropped out of the race prior to the fourth GOP presidential primary debate, saw zero percent support, as did former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. However, Hutchinson — an anti-Trump candidate — has shown no signs of dropping out any time soon. In fact, he has made it clear that he plans to stay in the race until Super Tuesday, which takes place in March 2024.

“By then you’re going to have a dramatic change, in my judgment, in the politics of the presidential race,” Hutchinson said during a November appearance on 40/29 News On the Record.

“You’re going to have some that are up now that will be down. Trump will be halfway through his trials. And so I expect dramatic changes,” he added.

The full WSJ poll was taken November 29 to December 4, 2023, among 1,500 registered voters.