Trump keeps massive lead, Haley ties DeSantis for second in new 2024 GOP presidential primary poll

A new poll has found that President Donald Trump has maintained a massive lead among likely Republican voters in a 2024 presidential primary matchup. The survey, conducted by Monmouth University, asked people who described themselves as “very likely” to participate in the GOP presidential primaries if they would vote for Trump or any of the other potential candidates listed.

Trump was named by an overwhelming 68 percent of respondents, far ahead of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley (12 percent) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (also 12 percent). Former Vice President Mike Pence was the choice of nine percent, while other potential contenders including Senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz were the preferences of only three percent of those surveyed.

The news of Trump’s broad lead comes at a time when speculation around the 2024 Republican presidential primary is growing. Current polls suggest that Haley and DeSantis are the two closest challengers to Trump among likely Republican primary voters.

Both Haley and DeSantis have publicly indicated their interest in potentially entering the race. However, neither have formally announced a candidacy. The only other declared presidential hopeful is former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, who was chosen by less than one percent of those surveyed.

Haley and DeSantis’ strong showing in the survey suggests that should either candidate decide to run, there could be a close race between them for second place behind Trump. The survey also showed that were Trump not running, Haley (26 percent) and DeSantis (21 percent) would garner the most support among likely Republican primary voters.