DeSantis leads Trump by 23 points in hypothetical primary matchup: poll

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis stands well ahead of former President Donald Trump in a potential Republican primary race for the 2024 presidential nomination.

In the latest USA Today-Suffolk University poll, 56% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters backed the Florida governor to just 33% for the former president. More than 60% of respondents sought a different candidate than the former president but would like someone who would continue his policies.

The Florida governor, already a Republican heavyweight, moved further into the limelight after his reelection in November. DeSantis easily defeated Democrat Charlie Crist by nearly 20 points in the former swing state. He has thus far declined to fuel speculation about a 2024 bid.

Trump, meanwhile, has seen his grip on the party shaken following the defeat of several of his prominent endorsees in key Senate contests that ultimately cost the GOP control of the upper chamber of Congress.

Moreover, he continues to face increasing legal scrutiny, with the DOJ appointing a special counsel to handle multiple ongoing investigations against Trump. He further suffered a major legal defeat after an appeals court shut down the special master review of documents the FBI seized from his home in August.