The political landscape in Wisconsin is experiencing a distinct shift among Republican voters, with a new statewide poll suggesting former President Trump’s favorability is slipping, giving Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a significant lead.
The poll shows a 16-point advantage for DeSantis in a hypothetical one-on-one primary against Trump.
The shifting sentiments are linked to recent doubts about Trump’s electability due to his indictment, according to Wisconsin state Sen. Duey Stroebel, a Republican. On the other hand, DeSantis’s “common sense, level-headed approach” on the campaign trail is seen as a strong point.
“Trump had a successful presidential tenure, but DeSantis’s performance has been remarkable,” Stroebel commented to Fox News Digital.
“A growing number of people are questioning Trump’s potential to secure victory in a general election. This poll lends weight to those doubts,” he said.
Data from the Marquette University Law School Poll, released last week, showed a neck-and-neck contest in the GOP primary field, with Trump marginally outpacing DeSantis by one percentage point.
However, when faced with a direct choice between DeSantis and Trump, DeSantis overwhelmingly took the lead, securing 57% of the vote compared to Trump’s 41%.
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Republican Party Chairman of Sawyer County, Wisconsin, John Righeimer, noted a swell of enthusiasm for DeSantis over Trump in recent months.
“General election victory seems out of reach for Trump,” Righeimer said. He explained his belief that Democrats would welcome a rematch with Trump, citing Biden’s previous victory which capitalized on the unfavorable sentiments towards Trump.
He further added, “A candidate like Ron DeSantis would prevent Joe Biden from a ‘basement strategy’, forcing Democrats to engage in substantive debates rather than relying on anti-Trump sentiments.”
Stroebel emphasized the contrast between DeSantis’s steadfast conservatism and Trump’s more liberal stances on critical issues like abortion.
“Serious observers, when comparing DeSantis and Trump’s approach to key issues, discern a clear distinction, frankly,” he said.
The state senator underscored the necessity of a candidate who can secure victory, expressing doubt about Trump’s viability. “While Trump was a commendable president, there exists a segment of the population that would never vote for him,” he stated.
Stroebel also pointed out that the poll revealed a substantial 21% of respondents are still undecided about their Republican nominee preference.
He inferred, “Being undecided about a former president tends to favor an alternative candidate. DeSantis, who is running neck and neck, will likely be the beneficiary of the undecided vote.”
DeSantis also has a fairly large treasure chest. During the first six weeks of his campaign, DeSantis has brought in an impressive $20 million in fundraising during the first six weeks his political team told Fox News on Thursday.
Trump’s team also weighed in, reporting on Wednesday that the his campaign brought in over $35 million altogether between April and June in the second quarter of political fundraising.
However, it is important to note that DeSantis raised the $20 million in less than half the time.
Wisconsin, with its 10 electoral votes, is a pivotal swing state in the 2024 presidential election. The Marquette poll, considered the “gold standard in Wisconsin politics” and boasting an 80% accuracy rate per FiveThirtyEight, will be closely watched.
In terms of favorability, 68% of polled Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have a positive view of Trump, trailed closely by DeSantis at 67%.
Current polling suggests a tightly contested race if DeSantis were to go head-to-head against President Biden today, with 49% favoring Biden and 47% for DeSantis. A rematch between Trump and Biden, however, shows less promising results for Republicans – 52% of respondents would vote for Biden compared to 43% for Trump.
Wisconsin voters will make their choice for the Republican nominee on April 2, 2024.
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