We all know Trump and his followers have been going all-out attacking DeSantis this past week, and one of their battle cries is that DeSantis has supposedly "cratered in the polls". Not so:
The surveys, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from March 21 to 23 for an outside client (not a candidate or super PAC) found DeSantis leading Trump by eight points (45%-37%) in a head-to-head matchup in Iowa and tied with Trump (39%-39%) in New Hampshire.
DeSantis' overall image is the strongest of all the prospective GOP candidates in both states. In Iowa, his favorability/unfavorability rating was a sterling 81%-11%. Trump's was 74%-24%. In New Hampshire, DeSantis' favorability rating was 77%-15%, while Trump's was 69%-29%.
In New Hampshire, 48% viewed DeSantis as the better candidate to defeat Biden, while 46% thought Trump was more electable. In Iowa, 54% viewed DeSantis as more electable, compared to 44% for Trump.
Trump's biggest weakness was on temperament: 68% of Iowa Republicans rated DeSantis as having a better temperament than Trump, while 71% said the same in New Hampshire.
I think Vivek doesn't even get 2 percent of the vote. Him staying in doesn't matter.
Neocon Nikki could siphon up to 7 percent away from DeSantis.
Mike Pence could siphon up to 5 percent away from DeSantis.
Getting these two to drop out would be a significant boon to beating Trump in a primary.
The smart play for DeSantis is to give these two grifters a meaningless cabinet post each and get them to drop out early.
Pence is dumb enough to actually run even though every other branch of the right hates him except for some evangelicals.
If they drop out to help Ronald, doesn't that mean they're helping him and that he is also establishment?