Trump leads DeSantis in Harvard-Harris poll for 2024 GOP presidential nom

The Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, released Friday, found that in a "hypothetical eight-way primary," 48 percent of Republican voters reported that they would support Trump, while 28 percent would support DeSantis.

The other choices weren't able to break into the double digits. Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, came in third place with 7 percent, while Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tied for fourth place, with just 3 percent.

While DeSantis loses to Trump in a typical full primary, he would get 49 percent of GOP voter support in a hypothetical situation without Trump, according to the survey.

In a contest between the two frontrunners, Trump still holds a significant lead with fifty-five percent of Republican voters saying they would back him, compared to 45 percent who said they would support DeSantis.

"Trump has strengthened somewhat but Ron DeSantis continues to strengthen as well," Mark Penn, the co-director of the study said. "Trump is ahead but already has every vote he can get — DeSantis is the candidate of potential."

While Trump has already announced his candidacy, DeSantis has avoided most chatter about 2024, as his second term begins to heat up. Last week, the governor's "Stop WOKE" act was upheld by a Florida judge. The piece of legislation prohibits the promotion of critical race theory and other "woke" ideologies on the state's college campuses.

Meanwhile, Trump is consistently winning polling for 2024. According to a new Morning Consult poll published Wednesday, Trump leads a group of GOP contenders with 48 percent of respondents saying they want the former president at the top of the ticket. DeSantis' number two slot garnered 31 percent support.