Trump Gets Great 2024 News As DeSantis' Campaign Falls To Third Place In Key State

On Tuesday, a new poll out from South Carolina showed leading Republican presidential candidate and 45th President Donald Trump dominating in the polls as former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (R-SC) has overtaken Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for second place.

According to the CNN poll, Trump is the first choice of 53 percent of Republican voters in the Palmetto State, while Haley is second with 22 percent support, and DeSantis sits third with only 11 percent. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is in fourth place with six percent support.

Making matters worse for Haley and DeSantis, Trump polled the highest, 80 percent, amongst Republican voters who said they either currently support or would support Trump in the upcoming primary contest.

Trump largely dominates amongst younger voters under 45 with 63 percent support and amongst very conservative voters, two-thirds of whom support the former president. 

The 45th president has less support amongst more moderate voters in the primary, with 41 percent supporting his bid for the nomination. In addition, only 44 percent of high-earning households support the ex-president and 49 percent of older voters over 45 back his candidacy.

Trump has seen similar patterns take shape in the first caucus state as well. As previously reported by the DC Enquirer, Trump has cemented his lead in Iowa.

A new poll from the Des Moines Register and Mediacom showed Trump up nearly 30 points over his competition with 43 percent support. With less than three months until the caucus on January 15, his lead is seemingly insurmountable at this point in the race. While it is possible that either Haley or DeSantis could close the gap somewhat in the intervening period, Trump's dominance this close to the Iowa caucus will surely win him the first contest in the nation.

According to the Five Thirty Eight polling average, Trump currently has 56.9 percent national support, while Gov. DeSantis has 14.1 percent support, Haley has 8.0 percent support, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (R-OH) has 5.8 percent support, and Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) has 3.1 percent support.

As Trump's lead against his opponents remains unbudged, both DeSantis and Haley must make a choice. Given that they are the two Trump alternative candidates in the race that actually have some basis of support, one of them would have to drop out even to come close to challenging Trump for the nomination.

The closer the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary come, the less time they will have to form a strong enough coalition against the former president. That, however, is only a hope given Trump's strong support with at least half of the Republican electorate nationally.

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