New polling data from the monthly McLaughlin & Associates national survey is showing former President Donald Trump pulling away from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his closest rival for the 2024 GOP nomination.
Pollster John McLaughlin tells Newsmax that is because voters see him as the candidate who can defeat President Joe Biden.
"When you consider the trajectory of how much support Donald Trump has gotten since the beginning of the year, one-on-one against Ron DeSantis, Trump was leading him in January by 52-40 [percent]," McLaughlin told Tuesday's "Wake Up America," about the poll, released Tuesday. "It's now 67-26."
The same poll of 1,000 likely voters also shows Trump ahead of Biden 47%-43%, according to McLaughlin.
"Donald Trump is the best presidential candidate to beat Joe Biden," McLaughlin said, doubling down on the numbers. "We know he's done a good job as president. The country, 70% of the voters in the same poll, say we're on the wrong track. Two-thirds say the economy is getting worse."
Voters know Trump can solve the "real problems" the country is facing, he added.
"He is on message," McLaughlin said. "He is focused. He is determined that he's going to win this election — that he would fix America."
Trump's numbers are climbing while DeSantis's are dropping because "Trump is taking the message and the fight to Joe Biden," McLaughlin added.
"The country has gone backward over the last two years," he said. "The economy's in real bad shape. He can't stop the war in Ukraine, the border's out of control, crime is rising: They know Donald Trump can fix those things."
McLaughlin said Trump is pulling away, even though DeSantis is not expected to enter the race until later this month, because people like independents and women, or others who may not necessarily like Trump's style, are saying he was a good president.
Meanwhile, McLaughlin told The Washington Examiner that Trump appears poised for an "electoral landslide" if the election was held now between him and Biden.
"In 2016 and 2020, Trump never led in the national popular vote, but if the election were held today, Trump would beat Biden in the national popular vote, and it would be an electoral landslide for Trump," McLaughlin said.
Aside from DeSantis, the other declared and potential challenges for Trump came out with single-digit numbers in the poll, including former Vice President Mike Pence with 6% and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley at 4%.
Vivek Ramaswamy showed growth, going from no support in March to 4% in April.
McLaughlin also told the Examiner's "Secrets" columnist Paul Bedard that Trump's legal "persecutions" have not hurt him, and support for Trump is strongest from people "who know the country is on the wrong track and is getting worse."
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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