DeSantis Drops To Third In Key Republican Poll, Here's Who Just Surpassed Him

For many months, the two leading candidates to secure the Republican Party presidential nomination have been Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis ahead of the 2024 election.

However, recent polling data reveals a shift, with a new candidate surpassing DeSantis to take the second spot.

What Happened: After being considered a frontrunner to challenge Trump for the GOP nomination in the 2024 presidential election, DeSantis has seen a drop in recent polls. He trailed Trump by 43 points in a recent Morning Consult poll and saw his support hit new lows in several consecutive weeks.

The Florida governor has made several changes to his campaign staff, including selecting a new campaign manager, as reports of a campaign reset surface.

A new poll shows that DeSantis may have more to worry about. Not only is he trailing Trump by a wide margin, but he's also been overtaken by another contender, pushing him to the third position.

An Emerson College survey of New Hampshire residents released Tuesday shows Chris Christie in second place among Republican presidential candidates, as reported by The Hill.

The poll results were:

• Donald Trump: 49%
• Chris Christie: 9%
• Ron DeSantis: 8%
• Tim Scott: 6%
• Doug Burgum: 4%
• Nikki Haley: 4%
• Vivek Ramaswamy: 3%
• Perry Johnson: 2%
• Mike Pence: 1%
• Will Hurd: 1%
• Undecided: 13%

DeSantis had 17% of support among New Hampshire voters in the same poll conducted in March.

“DeSantis has been the alternative to Trump in Emerson polling this presidential cycle. This is the first time we have seen DeSantis drop out of second place in our polling, and fall back into the pack of candidates,” Emerson College Polling Executive Director Spencer Kimball said.

The poll results come as Christie’s campaign has prioritized New Hampshire and DeSantis has prioritized Iowa, according to The Hill.

Related Link: 2024 Election Betting Odds: Biden The Favorite, Ramaswamy And Kennedy Jr. Surge Up List

Why It’s Important: In recent polls, Christie's backing has been on the lower side. A Morning Consult survey revealed he garnered 3% of the Republican vote, placing him in a tie for fifth among the contenders.

The Emerson College poll shows that Christie’s campaign efforts in New Hampshire could be paying off and could serve as a turning point.

Benzinga previously reported that Christie ally Steve Cohen has not pledged financial support to the former New Jersey governor, but was eyeing supporting a non-Trump candidate.

Christie has been among Trump's most vocal opponents among Republican candidates, a move that could earn him increased voter support as the 2024 election approaches, especially with Trump confronting four indictments and looming legal challenges.

Read Next: Chris Christie Says 'No Way In Hell' To Being Trump's Vice President 

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