US Republican 'Jamlung' DeSantis Surpasses Trump in Next Presidential Candidate Poll

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Josel Gina] Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida and considered a 'presidential hopeful' within the U.S. Republican Party, has surpassed former President Donald Trump in the preference poll for the next presidential candidate. Following the recent midterm elections where the anticipated Red Wave did not materialize and accountability for Trump has been raised, Governor DeSantis solidified his political standing by winning re-election as Florida governor by a wide margin.

According to a survey conducted from November 9 to 11 by Yahoo News and polling agency YouGov, targeting 1,500 American adults after the midterm elections, 42% of Republican and pro-Republican independent voters preferred Governor DeSantis as the next Republican presidential candidate.

In contrast, support for former President Trump, who is expected to announce his presidential bid this week, stood at 35%. This marks a reversal compared to a month ago when Trump led DeSantis by more than 10 percentage points (Trump 45%, DeSantis 35%).

The survey also found that 34% of Americans believe the Democratic Party performed better than expected. Regarding the current situation where Democrats and Republicans split control of the House and Senate, 34% said it is better for one party to control both chambers.

For former President Trump, who had planned to officially announce his presidential candidacy on the 15th at Mar-a-Lago in Florida based on the expected Red Wave from the midterms, the disappointing results have inevitably caused setbacks. Despite an environment favorable to the Republicans amid a strong anti-incumbent sentiment, the party’s failure to secure a landslide victory has intensified calls holding Trump accountable.

Some suggest postponing the announcement until the accountability issue from the midterms subsides, but no schedule changes have been announced yet. For Trump, delaying his 2024 presidential bid could be seen as an admission of poor electoral performance.

Earlier, in an interview with Fox News, former President Trump confirmed that the November 15 announcement would not be changed. He said, "We had tremendous success (in this election)" and questioned, "Why should we change?" In a post on Truth Social, he also described the results as "somewhat disappointing in some respects, but from my personal perspective, it is a very big victory." These remarks are interpreted as distancing himself from the accountability narrative while building public opinion that the results were a success thanks to him, thereby strengthening his justification for running.

Governor DeSantis is regarded as the strongest rival to former President Trump in the Republican race for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. During his governorship, he implemented conservative policies opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates, building support among conservatives. This month, Ken Griffin, CEO of hedge fund Citadel, which supports Republican political funding, publicly endorsed Governor DeSantis.

Especially as various legal risks surrounding former President Trump continue to emerge, voices increasingly point to Governor DeSantis as an alternative. Just before the midterms, Trump mockingly called DeSantis "Ron DeSanctimonious" and bluntly warned, "If he runs (for president), he could get hurt very badly," reflecting the tense rivalry.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.