DeSantis and Trump Gain Popularity in CPAC Poll
February 28th, 2022 Updated 7:51 A.M. ET
ORLANDO (FCV) – Former President Donald Trump (R) reasserted his dominance as the leading figure of the Republican Party at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando where he gave a fiery speech Saturday night and captured 59% of attendees’ support for a 2024 Presidential run.
Florida Governor Ron Desantis (R), who has been viewed recently as a potential threat to Trump if the two faced each other in the 2024 Republican primary for President, garnered 28% of the attendee vote, less than half the number Trump received.
Interestingly, Trump’s level of support for a potential 2024 run increased by 5% from last year’s CPAC in Orlando.
Many prominent conservative members of Congress expressed complete support for a third Trump run. Specifically, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (R), whilst wrapping up his remarks to attendees, explicitly instructed the more than 2500 straw poll voters to select Donald Trump.
As Trump’s long-time campaign pollster Jim Mclaughlin, who presented the results to an incredibly enthusiastic crowd, said, “Nothing’s faded for the President.” That was incredibly apparent at the conference both inside and outside the CPAC venue.
Lining the streets along the route to CPAC and inside the ballroom where the former President spoke, stood many supporters waving Trump flags, selling Trump apparel as well as anti-Biden merchandise.
The atmosphere was completely electric in the few hours before and after the former President’s speech with people dancing and cheering dressed head to toe in MAGA gear.
DeSantis has not said he plans to run in 2024, while Trump has all but said he is, indeed, running again.
The Florida Governor is set to win the 2022 gubernatorial election against likely Democrat nominee Charlie Crist who is consistently polling better against DeSantis than Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D), albeit still behind by around 6 points in aggregates.
