Former President Donald Trump is maintaining a dominant lead post-debate in the Republican primary race, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are tied for second place, Friday’s Rasmussen Reports survey found.
The survey asked 1,418 U.S. likely Republican primary voters, “If the Republican presidential primary were held today, which of the following candidates would you vote for?”
Trump maintained his status as the dominant frontrunner with 45 percent support. No other candidate came remotely close, as DeSantis slipped into the single digits with nine percent support. Christie tied him, also garnering nine percent support in the crowded field of candidates.
RELATED — Trump on DeSantis: ‘He’s Crashing Badly,’ Will Be ‘Superseded’ in Second Place
Matthew Perdie / Breitbart News, Jack Knudsen / Breitbart NewsFormer South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley came in just two points behind with seven percent support, followed by anti-woke businessman Vivek Ramaswamy with five percent, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott with four percent, and former Vice President Mike Pence with four percent. Another 11 percent are “not sure,” and three percent said, “some other candidate.”
The survey added that “a large potential ‘crossover’ vote could have a significant impact in states with open primaries.”
It continued:
Democrats and unaffiliated voters are less likely than self-identified Republicans to support Trump. For example, both Scott and Christie get significant support from self-identified liberals who say they’ll vote in the 2024 Republican primaries.
2024 National Republican Primary
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) September 8, 2023
Trump 45% (-4)
DeSantis 9% (-1)
Christie 9% (+2)
Haley 7% (+4)
Ramaswamy 5% (-6)
Scott 4% (=)
Pence 4% (+1)
Elder 1% (=)
[Change vs Aug. 21]@Rasmussen_Poll | 1,418 LV | 8/29-9/5https://t.co/CJfbntIgvd pic.twitter.com/zSeTKtOVjc
The survey was taken August 29-31 and September 3-5, 2023, and it has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. It comes as DeSantis continues to lose his second place status in several polls despite revamping his campaign staff and focusing primarily on the first three states — New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina.
An Echelon Insights survey released last month, for example, found DeSantis punting to fourth place in New Hampshire, behind Trump, Christie, and Ramaswamy.
2024 New Hampshire GOP Primary
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 21, 2023
• Trump — 34% (+20)
• Christie — 14%
• Ramaswamy — 11%
• DeSantis — 9%
• Scott — 7%
• Pence — 3%
• Haley — 3%
• Hurd — 3%
• Burgum — 2%
• Hutchinson — 1%
Echelon (A/B) | 800 LV | 08/15-17https://t.co/pu32yXSmFp pic.twitter.com/5Ms58aedyB
A recent NMB Research poll found Haley catching up with DeSantis in the Granite State, tying for second place with ten percent support each.
New Hampshire 2024: Trump holds 37-point lead for Republican Nomination
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) September 5, 2023
• Trump — 47% (+37)
• DeSantis — 10%
• Haley — 10%
• Christie — 8%
• Ramaswamy — 8%
All other candidates received 5 percent or less.
NMB Research | 800 LV | 8/25-31 https://t.co/JO3Ja6H0eX
And a Florida poll released in August found a massive shift in support away from DeSantis to Trump.
2024 Florida Republican Primary (Shift since 5/27):
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) August 24, 2023
Trump 59% (+21)
DeSantis 23% (-15)
Christie 4%
Ramaswamy 3% (+3)
Haley 2% (-1)
Pence 1% (-2)
Scott 1% (-2)
.
Head-2-Head:
Trump 64% (+25)
DeSantis 36% (-4)
.@VictoryPolling, 590 LV, 8/21-23 https://t.co/Xjm6Kunt2U
RELATED — Charlie Kirk: Vivek Ramaswamy ‘Running the Campaign Ron DeSantis Should Be Running’
Jack Knudsen / Breitbart News