Among voters registered as Republican or independent who lean towards the Republicans, Mr DeSantis was backed for the nomination by 60 per cent and Mr Trump by 40 per cent in the poll by Marquette Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Among non-graduates Mr DeSantis led Mr Trump by 53.2 per cent to 46.5 per cent, while among those with a degree the Florida governor is backed by 74.2 per cent to 25.8 per cent.
Mr Trump, 76, still has high levels of favourability among Republican voters, on 67 per cent, down from 74 per cent in September and 76 per cent in July. Mr DeSantis’s favourability was put at 68 per cent, up from 65 per cent in September and 62 per cent in July.
Charles Franklin, the poll director, suggested that Mr DeSantis had room to increase his support since 22 per cent of respondents said they did not know him well enough to make a judgment compared with 1 per cent for Mr Trump. “None of this means DeSantis is not vulnerable to Trump’s attacks,” he said.
Among general voters of all backgrounds, Mr Trump loses to Mr Biden by 34 per cent to 44 per cent while Mr Biden and Mr DeSantis are on 42 per cent each.
Among Democrats or independent voters who lean towards the Democrats, 49 per cent would like to see Mr Biden, 80, run in 2024 and 51 per cent would not. In September, 44 per cent wanted him to run and 56 per cent did not.
Mike Pence, the former vice-president thought to be considering a presidential run, is seen favourably by 51 per cent of Republicans and unfavourably by 40 per cent.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/desantis-leaves-trump-trailing-...DeSantis should make deal with Trump: Trump should endorse DeSantis as the 2024 Republican candidate and in exchange DeSantis would make Trump his WH spokesman!!