A straw poll at the Western Conservative Summit, an annual gathering of conservatives in Denver Colorado, showed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ahead of former President Trump.
Members of the group were asked to select all candidates of potential GOP contenders that they would vote for. DeSantis beat out former President Donald Trump, getting 74% approval compared to Trump’s 71%.
The poll is another example that underscores DeSantis’s popularity with Republican voters. Earlier this year, he led President Trump in a poll conducted at CPAC.
The organization noted that all voting participants could, however, vote for multiple candidates.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, DeSantis has continuously risen in prominence among GOP voters. He has been praised by Trump and other Republicans for his approach.
DeSantis refused to follow the path of lockdowns that greatly damaged many states’ economies. Florida’s economy remained open.
In addition to the limited restrictions, coronavirus transmissions rates remained relatively low compared to other states such as New York and California.
DeSantis has also taken steps to prevent the spread of Critical Race Theory teachings and other key culture issues popular with GOP supporters.
According to a tweet released by the group, Ted Cruz, Mike Pompeo, and Tim Scott rounded out the top 5 of the voters’ preference. The other three were a notable distance from DeSantis and Trump.
Western Conservative Summit 2021 non-partisan approval voting poll results:
1. Ron DeSantis – 74.12%
2. Donald Trump – 71.43%
3. Ted Cruz – 42.86%
4. Mike Pompeo – 39.35%
5. Tim Scott 35.58%30 candidates polled. Democrats & Republicans.
Full results: https://t.co/2a7Z5gVVwU
— Centennial Institute (@CentennialCCU) June 20, 2021
Neither Trump nor DeSantis have officially announced their intentions relating to a run in 2024. However, Trump has teased the prospect of running again.
“I’m absolutely enthused. I look forward to doing an announcement at the right time,” he said last month in an interview with Candace Owens. “As you know, it’s very early. But I think people are going to be very, very happy when I make a certain announcement.”
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
