Des Moines, Iowa – A new Iowa poll released four days before the state caucuses begin the Republican presidential nominating calendar shows former ambassador and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley leading Florida governor Ron DeSantis. This suggests that he has surpassed former President Donald Trump and is now in second place.
A Suffolk University survey of 500 Iowa voters likely to attend Monday's Republican presidential caucuses found Trump with 54% support, Haley with 20% and DeSantis with 13%. It becomes.
The poll was conducted from January 6 to 10, with Haley and DeSantis facing off in a prime-time debate in Iowa, at the same time Trump also participated in a Fox News town hall.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a billionaire biotech entrepreneur and first-time candidate, has been campaigning relentlessly across the Hawkeye State for the past few months, polling with 6% support.
Was the candidate absent from this week's Iowa debate the winner of the intense showdown?
Former President Trump (right) speaks as hosts Bret Bayer and Martha McCallum look on at a Fox News Town Hall on January 10, 2024 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Kamil Krzazinski/AFP via Getty Images)
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did not campaign in Iowa this term, as he was almost entirely focused on New Hampshire, where the first primary on the Republican calendar will be held eight days after Iowa. In the survey, it was only 2%.
Mr. Christie stopped campaigning at New Hampshire City Hall on Wednesday. With Christie out of the race, David Paleologos, director of the Center for Political Research at Suffolk University, highlighted that Haley's approval rating in Iowa has risen to 22% in a new poll.
What Donald Trump said at Wednesday night's Fox News Town Hall in Iowa
Mr. DeSantis, who was convincingly re-elected to a second term as Florida governor 14 months ago, was once the clear alternative to President Trump in the Republican race for the White House. He is in second place behind President Trump, who is running for president for the third consecutive year, and remains the strongest candidate.
But after a series of campaign setbacks over the summer and fall, Mr. DeSantis saw his support in the polls decline.
Former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (right) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the Republican presidential candidate debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. Attend the meeting. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, gained momentum in the fall with high ratings in debates. In recent weeks, she has trailed DeSantis in Iowa polls and national polls, coming in second place.
Haley also surpassed DeSantis to take second place in New Hampshire, closing the gap with Trump.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
DeSantis appears to be betting much of his presidential campaign on a strong showing in Iowa. He made a point of making stops in all 99 counties in the state, touting Iowa's strong grassroots advocacy organization. Experts classify Iowa as a “do-or-die” state for Florida's governor.
Last month, Mr. DeSantis predicted victory in multiple interviews, despite trailing Mr. Trump by double digits in Iowa polls.
“We're going to win Iowa. We're organized,” the governor declared in a Fox News Digital interview in Bettendorf, Iowa, a week before Christmas.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (right) with hosts Martha McCollum and Bret Baier at FOX News Town Hall on January 9, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
But when asked Tuesday at a Fox News Iowa town hall about finishing in the state, DeSantis twice said, “It's going to be good.”
“Honestly, I like to lower my expectations,” he added. “I've been an underdog all my life and everything I've ever done.”
He said: “The media seems to be trying to attack me a little bit on that…Let's just let them say it. It's within our power to prove them wrong and so… I will,” he claimed.
“Polls show the risk of candidates going all-in,” Palaiologos told Fox News. Among them, he is the top second choice.”
But he said, “Even if you come in second place, you won't last long in the Iowa caucuses. Your chances of beating Trump at this point are very slim, and you'll have to scramble and fight hard to finish second.” “Maybe,” he added.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital's Election Hub.
