As expected, former President Donald Trump continues to dominate the Republican field. The Morning Consult poll reveals that Trump holds the highest favorability rating among Republicans, with an impressive 71 percent of respondents expressing a positive view of him. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis follows closely behind with a 63 percent favorability rating. However, it is worth noting that approximately a quarter of GOP voters have a negative perception of each candidate. Trump’s unfavorability rating stands at 26 percent, while DeSantis fares slightly better at 23 percent.
While some candidates, like businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, enjoy positive favorability ratings, they seem to be hindered by a lack of name recognition. The survey indicates that 48 percent of respondents view Ramaswamy favorably, while 13 percent hold an unfavorable view. However, a significant portion of those surveyed, 32 percent, either had no opinion or were unfamiliar with Ramaswamy.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, once a key figure in the Trump administration, finds himself in a challenging position. With 39 percent of respondents expressing an unfavorable view of him, Pence is the second most disliked candidate in the field. The poll results reflect the impact of Pence’s relentless attacks against his former boss following the announcement of a new indictment related to objections to the 2020 election. Pence’s endorsement of the indictment against Trump further exacerbates the divide within the Republican party.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, known for his outspoken nature and opposition to former President Trump, takes the crown as the least popular candidate among GOP voters. Despite consistently polling in the low single digits, Christie remains steadfast in his criticism of Trump. In a recent interview with CBS News, he referred to Trump as a “threat to democracy” and made it clear that he would not support him if he secures the nomination. According to the Morning Consult survey, a staggering 55 percent of Republican respondents hold an unfavorable view of Christie, compared to just 24 percent who view him favorably. An additional 13 percent of respondents claimed to have never heard of him, while 17 percent expressed no opinion.
The Morning Consult poll highlights the negative favorability ratings of several candidates. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former congressman Will Hurd, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, and Chris Christie all received unfavorable ratings. While the exact reasons for their unpopularity may vary, it is clear that these candidates face significant challenges in gaining the support of Republican voters.
Despite a significant percentage of respondents expressing an unfavorable opinion, Mike Pence manages to maintain a net positive favorability rating of 11 percentage points. This suggests that while there is division within the party regarding Pence, he still retains a substantial base of supporters.
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