Is Donald Trump starting to feel a twinge of buyer's remorse for announcing his 2024 campaign so early? The latest results from a poll based in deep-red Utah point to yes.
Trump came in a distant third place in the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute of Politics‘ poll of possible GOP contenders for the 2024 presidential race. However, even more shocking than Trump's No. 3 position is the fact that respondents were warmer toward outgoing Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis decisively led the poll in a hypothetical Republican presidential primary, at 24.2 percent, followed by Cheney with 16.4 percent. Trump came in third place with 14.6 percent, nearly 2 points below Cheney
Trump was more popular than Cheney among self-identified Republicans, earning 21.1 percent to Cheney's 10 percent, but DeSantis still emerged ahead in that group with 33.1 percent.
However, more Utah voters said they didn't know which candidate they'd cast their ballot for (20.7 percent) than backed either Trump or Cheney.
The survey's results are the latest sign Trump's popularity among conservatives is fading. Last month, Trump officially announced his 2024 presidential campaign from his Mar-a-Lago resort but so far has received a tepid response from high-profile Republican lawmakers and donors who backed his previous presidential pursuits. (RELATED: GOP House Conference Chair Endorses Trump Ahead of Official 2024 Announcement)
Trump's numerous legal hurdles coupled with his bombastic personality have been contributing factors to many Republicans opting to look elsewhere for a candidate to defeat Joe Biden in the next election. In many polls, DeSantis has been seen closing the national gap with the former president but so far he's remained tight-lipped over any potential campaigns for the White House.
Cheney, a harsh critic of the former President who lost her primary to a pro-Trump challenger, has floated a presidential campaign before. The outgoing Wyoming Congresswoman has told reporters before that she would do anything necessary to keep Trump out of the White House- including running against him.
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