A recently made public poll expressed that Republican voters put Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at the head of a long list of people they wish to see direct the party’s path in the future.
The poll, which was put out by ABC News/Ipsos, was carried out across October 21022, asking potential voters just how much influence the famous Republicans should have on the future direction of the entire Republican Party. Roughly 72% of the poll respondents labeled the governor of Florida as someone they would like to see have a “great deal or good amount” of overall influence on the future direction of the party.
Both Former President Donald Trump and Texas GOP Senator Ted Cruz came in second and third, sitting very close to each other, as roughly 64% of respondents expressed Trump should have more influence while a total of 63% of respondents stated it should be Cruz.
However, 56% of those respondents also thought that the party could end up benefiting from the leadership influence of former Vice President Mike Pence; 52% expressed a desire for South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott to be the voice at the table and almost half checked a box for former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
When it comes to the Republicans that the voters least wanted to have any influence on the party’s future, the list showed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Mitt Romney, of Utah, and Rep. Liz Cheney, of Wyoming.
As part of the wider poll, which spoke to both Republicans and Democrats, the GOP was far more trusted regarding key issues such as inflation, crime, and the economy. Democrats were shown to lead on issues such as gun violence, climate change, and abortion.
DeSantis’s spot at the top of the poll seems to just highlight the national appeal that could result in a 2024 presidential run. The governor of Florida currently sports a solid double-digit lead within his own race for re-election, while building a record-setting archest and garnering favors all over the country as he campaigns and works alongside a series of other GOP candidates for seats in the Senate, House, and governorships.
As of this past month, his campaign has managed to raise a record-shattering $177.4 million, far more than any other governor in U.S. history. As reported by Open Secrets, a review of the records regarding state campaign finance highlighted that DeSantis’ re-election campaign has raised more than $31.4 million since January 2021, just as DeSantis’ state-level PAC, Friends of Ron DeSantis, has raised $146 million.