Ron DeSantis support ‘collapses’ after GOP debate: poll

Support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign “collapsed” after the first Republican presidential debate, according to a new poll.

The poll, published Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, showed former President Trump’s lead over his top rival at a yawning 46 points — nearly double the gap in the Journal’s last poll in April.

In a survey of 600 Republican primary voters, 59% said Trump would be their first choice, followed by 13% for DeSantis.

That’s down from the 24% the Florida governor previously logged, when he was seen as closing in on Trump.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley was third at 8%.

“DeSantis collapsed,” said Democratic pollster Mark Bocian, who conducted the survey with GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio. “The one candidate who back in April really seemed to be a potential contender, seemed to have a narrative to tell, has totally collapsed, and those votes went to Trump.”

Opinions also appeared to be hardening.

In April, 13% of GOP primary voters said they were undecided. That figure shrank to just 4% in the latest Journal poll.

In more worrying news for DeSantis, 76% of Trump backers said they were firmly in his camp and would not be changing their mind.

Just 25% of DeSantis supporters said the same about him.

While questions have swirled about whether Trump’s 91 state and federal charges would sink his chances with voters, the poll suggests they have only served to cement his support among the faithful.

More than 60% of primary voters said each indictment faced by Trump was “politically motivated and without merit” while 48% of those surveyed said they would be more likely to support Trump because of his legal troubles.

Turning to a general election, the poll surveyed 1,500 registered voters and found Trump and President Biden running in a virtual dead heat — with Trump netting 40% of the vote to Biden’s 39%.

About 17% of voters marked themselves as undecided.

The poll showed Haley and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy over-performed expectations at the Republican debate, while former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — who has been sharply critical of Trump — was the most unpopular candidate, with 73% of GOP voters holding a negative view of him.