DeSantis beats Trump in preferred GOP presidential candidates poll

Indeed, the only two potential candidates who got any relevant number of votes at all were DeSantis and Trump themselves.

According to the Daily Wire, "DeSantis received 38% of the vote; Trump received 32%, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at roughly 7%, and a trio of candidates at roughly 2.5%: former Vice President Mike Pence and GOP senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul."

DeSantis is also a full 16 points ahead in the polls against even the best-performing potential Democratic opponent, former governor Charlie Crist. This in itself is very rare for Florida, which has perennially been a "purple" state, with very closely-decided races for governor of the state.

DeSantis, while winning by a razor-thin margin of only 40,000 votes in 2018, has gained lots of popularity during his first term, both within and out of his state of Florida.

He has been very vocal throughout the COVID pandemic, coming out in favor of ending lockdowns and mask mandates on a federal level, and even passed a law barring businesses from requiring proof of vaccination in order to let people enter businesses within his states.

He has also famously locked horns with the Disney Corporation and passed a landmark anti-grooming bill, preventing educational institutions from sexualizing pre-pubescent children.