DeSantis makes gains against Trump in GOP primary: poll

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appears to be making gains against former President Trump in the crowded Republican presidential primary, according to an Emerson College national poll released Thursday. 

Trump still leads the field with 59 percent support among Republican primary voters, while DeSantis trails at 21 percent. However, the former president’s support is down 3 points, from 62 percent in the last Emerson College poll in April, while DeSantis is up 5 points from 16 percent. Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third place at 6 percent support. No other Republican candidate reached 5 percent, according to the survey. 

“In the past year, the Republican primary has remained statistically unchanged,” said Spencer Kimball, polling director at Emerson College. “However, DeSantis has made inroads with women voters over the last few months; Trump led DeSantis among women voters 58% to 17% in April, but now leads 53% to 26% in June, a 14-point improvement for DeSantis.”

The Emerson College survey was conducted June 19-20. Other recent polls have shown Trump’s lead slightly slipping since he was indicted and arraigned on 37 federal criminal charges in connection with the Justice Department’s classified documents probe earlier this month. A CNN survey released Tuesday showed Trump’s support among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents dipping 6 points since he was indicted. The same poll showed DeSantis’s second-place position at 25 percent remained unchanged since last month. 

The Real Clear Politics polling average shows Trump leading the pack with 51.9 percent support, while DeSantis trails at 21.1 percent. 

The Emerson College national poll was conducted among 1,015 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.