New poll shows DeSantis ahead of Trump in early-voting state New Hampshire, in possible GOP matchup

A second poll in recent days shows voters favoring Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis over former President Trump in a hypothetical 2024 Republican presidential primary – adding more intrigue about whether the once-close political allies will eventually become arch rivals. 

The latest poll, released Wednesday by the University of New Hampshire, ​​​​​​suggests DeSantis would narrowly defeat Trump in New Hampshire, currently the second state in the U.S. to hold presidential balloting. 

The survey shows DeSantis with 39% of the likely vote, compared to 37% for Trump, with former Vice President Mike Pence at 9%.

"I don’t know if Ron is running, and I don’t ask him," Trump told the Guardian newspaper earlier this week. "It's his prerogative. I think I would win."

The numbers marks a massive swing since the university's poll in early October 2021 that showed Trump at 43%, compared  to DeSantis at 18%.

Additionally, 60% of those who made Trump their first pick said DeSantis would be their second choice, in the new poll.

The poll also found that DeSantis polls better against incumbent Democrat President Biden, compared to Trump. In a hypothetical match of Biden v. Trump, Biden led 50%-43% over Trump. However,  DeSantis edged out Biden by 1percentage point, 47%-46% 

Earlier in June 2022, a poll at the 2022 Western Conservative Summit found 71% of voters approved of DeSantis, compared to roughly 68% for Trump. 

That DeSantis has not ask Trump to endorse his gubernatorial reelection bid is being considered a sign of a potential 2024 DeSantis presidential bid. 

Nine hundred and forty-four Granite State panel members completed the online survey from June 16-20. The margin of sampling error was 3.2%. Included in the sample were 845 likely 2024 general election voters, with a margin of sampling error of 3.4%.