Florida residents who want to see their Governor on Independence Day should get on Interstate 95 north now. If they hurry, they can catch Ron DeSantis in the Granite State.
DeSantis will march in a pair of July 4th parades in Wolfeboro and Merrimack, reports the Concord Monitor. It’s uncertain if the Governor and presidential candidate will give speeches during his latest trip to the Granite State, a return trip north that comes just a week after his last trip, and as polls have gone south for the man supporters call “America’s Governor.”
The latest St. Anselm College Survey Center pollshows former President Donald Trump leading DeSantis, 47% to 19% in a crowded field. DeSantis has lost ground according to that polling memo.
“As new entrants have emerged since our last survey, Trump has gained 5 points of support and now sits just shy of a majority with 47%. Meanwhile, DeSantis has seen his support erode 10 points to 19%.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is now in third place, with 6%, followed by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley (5%) and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina (4%).
The new polling throws cold water on DeSantis’ electability argument against Joe Biden, meanwhile.
“DeSantis will have to articulate a clear rationale for his challenge to Trump if he is to avoid falling back to the pack. The rationale won’t be that he’s a palatable alternative to the former President, as he demonstrates no better ballot strength (Biden 49%-40%) among General Election voters,” the polling memo asserts.
Though DeSantis’ 19% represents a 10-point drop from the April survey, it’s actually his best recent poll out of New Hampshire.
A New Hampshire Journal-Coefficient poll of more than 900 likely voters taken June 14-16 showed the Florida Governor with just 13% support. That number put him a staggering 34 points behind Trump (47%), and just 4 points above Christie.
A June National Research Inc. survey of 500 likely New Hampshire Republican Primary voters showed DeSantis with just 12% support.
The Race to the White House polling average shows Trump ahead of DeSantis 45% to 13% in a crowded field, and 49% to 25% if the race were between just the two of them.
During his trip to Hollis, New Hampshire, last week, DeSantis’ town hall touched on a variety of topics, including drag queens in New York City and Trump not fulfilling his 2016 campaign pledge regarding Hillary Clinton to “lock her up.”
The Governor has previously suggested that Florida has relied on New Hampshire for political guidance, comments that were surprising to most Floridians.
In the Granite State addressing the New Hampshire GOP at the Amos Tuck Dinner, the Governor suggested Floridians were not proud of the state before he arrived on the political scene.
“I was born and raised in Florida, and it’s only been recently that we’ve developed a sense of state pride ourselves,” DeSantis said in April. “We’re proud to have stood up for freedom in the last few years when it wasn’t easy. We did it our own way and I’m proud of that.”
“But I must admit we draw inspiration from the people here in New Hampshire,” DeSantis continued. “Because more than any other state, you don’t mince words when it comes to your stand on liberty. You say it very clearly: Live Free or Die.”
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