Trump Supporters at First 2024 Campaign Rally in Waco Give Mixed Opinions on DeSantis Run

• At a Trump rally in Waco, Texas, held over the weekend, supporters were asked about their opinions on the possibility of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis running for the Republican nomination in 2024. The responses were mixed.
• One supporter said, “DeSantis will never win. He is deep state.” according to NBC News. But, not all Trump supporters shared this opinion. Mike McCown, a Trump voter, told the same outlet that DeSantis is “100%” the future of the party and he would vote for him if he won the nomination, although he doesn’t believe DeSantis will win that nomination.
• There has already been some fighting on Twitter between the Trump and DeSantis camps that could become more intense than the 2016 GOP primary campaign.
• The rally was attended by tens of thousands of Trump supporters, and he spoke out against politically-motivated prosecutors trying to indict him.

What This Means:

• In a hypothetical 2024 matchup, both Trump and DeSantis are the top choices among Republican voters.
• According to recent polls given to Axios, DeSantis leads Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head race in Iowa and ties with him in New Hampshire. However, in those states, voters still see Trump as more likely to beat Joe Biden in 2024, although they may view DeSantis more favorably overall.
• On a national basis, Trump currently leads a hypothetical Republican primary with DeSantis in second place.
• Currently, DeSantis has not announced his intentions for 2024. When asked about possibly being Trump’s VP, he said, “I’m probably more of an executive guy.”