According to a new survey, California Republican voters prefer Florida Governor Ron DeSantis above former President Donald Trump in the GOP race in 2024.
The Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies study indicated that in an open field, California GOP voters choose DeSantis over Trump by 8 points, and in a head-to-head contest, the Sunshine state governor triumphs by a staggering 17 points.
DeSantis’ overall popularity rating is considerably better, with 79 percent of GOP voters giving him good ratings, compared to 69 percent for the previous president.
DeSantis leads Trump by 37%-29% in a crowded field, and he wins the former president by 50%-33% in a head-to-head matchup.
DeSantis’ popularity among California Republicans has grown as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has made the Florida governor his main opponent.
The governor of Florida will be in California next week to speak at a sold-out fundraiser at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
The event is part of DeSantis’ book tour, but it might be an opportunity for him to garner popularity among Republicans in California ahead of his probable presidential candidacy.
DeSantis has not declared a presidential bid, instead focusing on leading Florida.
He is anticipated to announce his candidacy in late May or early June, once the state legislature session closes.
Trump easily won the Republican primary in California in 2016, but only after all of his main rivals had already dropped out of the race.
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