New polling from California shows problems for the presidential campaign of Ron DeSantis in the Golden State.
In a survey of Republican primary voters released this week by the Public Policy Institute of California, former President Donald Trump has 50% support, with the Florida Governor far behind at just 23%.
If there is any consolation for DeSantis, the rest of the field is doing even worse.
Former Vice President Mike Pence has 6% support and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is at 5%. Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley all have 3% backing.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is not a candidate, but she has 2% support. Author Vivek Ramaswamy has performed well in some national polls, but here in California he has just 1%.
This survey tracks with other polls showing Trump well ahead.
In a recent Emerson College Poll of California Republicans, DeSantis trails Trump in the 2024 Presidential Primary race, 53% to 19%, with Pence at 10%.
A previous Public Policy Institute of California survey, conducted May 17-24, shows the former President with 50% support, way ahead of DeSantis at 21%.
DeSantis has made California complaints central to his campaign pitch, offering cautionary tales about San Francisco repeatedly.
“Don’t tell me it doesn’t affect people’s lives. I was just in San Francisco. I saw — in 20 minutes on the ground — people defecating on the sidewalk. I saw people using fentanyl. I saw people smoking crack right there in the open, right there on the street. It was a civilization in decay,” the Governor said at a Faith & Freedom Coalition event in June.
“We saw people defecating on the street. We saw people using heroin, we saw people smoking crack cocaine,” DeSantis added in a campaign ad. “The city is not vibrant anymore. It’s really collapsed because of leftist policies, and these policies have caused people to flee this area. They don’t prosecute criminals like they do in most parts of the country, and the wreckage is really sad to see.”
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