Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis beat former President Donald Trump in a presidential preference straw poll conducted by the Western Conservative Summit.
In the survey conducted by the Centennial Institute at the event, participants were asked to select each potential candidate they would approve for president in 2024. DeSantis edged out Trump, who came in second.
The other candidates in the top five were Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at third, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at fourth, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., at fifth.
- Ron DeSantis 74.12%.
- Donald Trump 71.43%.
- Cruz 42.86%.
- Pompeo 39.35%.
- Scott 35.58%.
South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., were tied for sixth place.
From there, in descending order, were: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Donald Trump Jr.; ex-Vice President Mike Pence; Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo.; Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas; and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley.
The poll allowed multiple answers to the preferences.
A press release from the Western Conservative Summit added a second question in the straw poll, which "asked attendees to mark any of 25 policy issues as most important to them."
"Immigration/border security" topped the responses at 82%, followed by "election integrity" at 79%, and "religious freedom" at 75%.
The summit was held in Denver.
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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