Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is drawing just single-digit support (less than 9%) in the latest Siena College Poll, while former President Donald Trump enjoyed an overwhelming majority 60% support in the hypothetical 2024 GOP primary poll of registered New York voters.
Trump's support is up 8 points since March, while DeSantis' support has declined by a fraction of a point.
Deep-blue New York is mostly considered an unwinnable state for the GOP nominee in the 2024 general presidential election, but it is a large state in the GOP primary.
Just 32% of registered New York Republicans polled would not vote for Trump, and that small minority is divided heavily among Trump's challengers.
"Nearly a year from New York's presidential primary, Republicans — who view Trump favorably 67%-27% — are solidly behind the former president, nearly 2-to-1," pollster Steven Greenberg wrote in a statement. "Only among self-described moderate Republicans does 'other' beat Trump."
Results of those dividing up the 32% opposing Trump:
- DeSantis 28%
- Don't know/No opinion 22%
- Former Vice President Mike Pence 14%
- Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley 8%
- Former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., 6%
- Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., 4%
- Asa Hutchinson 2%
- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem 1%
DeSantis' 28% support among the 32% who will be voting against Trump amounts to just 8.96% support among registered New York GOP voters.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu; and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin all drew less than 1%. Pompeo and Youngkin have publicly stated they will not be running for president.
Only Trump, Haley, Hutchinson, and Ramaswamy are officially announced 2024 GOP primary candidates.
New York's strength for Trump gives him a large state in his column for the GOP primary.
"The GOP is filled with amazing talent to save our country from the failed policies of the (Joe) Biden admin.," former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., tweeted in April, endorsing Trump over DeSantis, despite having had DeSantis campaign with him when Zeldin was running for governor in the deep-blue state. "Our nominee in 2024 will be the 45th & 47th POTUS, Donald Trump. Our economy will be stronger, our streets will be safer, & our lives will be freer.
"He has my full support!"
The Siena College Poll was conducted by the Siena College Research Institute May 7-11 among 810 New York state registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.