Trump looms over DeSantis, but trails Biden in 2024 presidential polls

According to a new Wall Street Journal poll, in a hypothetical matchup between Trump and DeSantis, GOP primary voters opted for the former president with 51 percent support while the Florida governor garnered 38 percent. That same poll had DeSantis ahead of Trump in December, but what was an advantage of 14 points for DeSantis has now fallen to a deficit of 13 points.

The poll, conducted among 1500 registered voters, also asked about a broader GOP field of 12 candidates, some declared and some potential. In that case, respondents said they wanted Trump with 48 percent support, DeSantis was second with 24 percent, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley received 5 percent, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott came in with 3 percent support.

All the other GOP contenders came in under 2 percent.

According to the outlet, DeSantis has lost support with voters with four-year college degrees and women to Trump, as well as those who describe themselves as "very conservative."

A Democratic pollster who helped conduct the poll, Molly Murphy, said, "If you are with Trump, you are with him. You can throw 10 other candidates in the field; you can take all of the candidates out."

According to the poll, DeSantis beats Trump in terms of having a positive image, with 84 percent seeing the Florida governor in a favorable light over Trump's 78 percent. 41 percent of those polled said DeSantis could beat Biden while 31 percent said Trump could do the same.

Those polled had DeSantis beating Biden in a general election, 48 percent to 45 percent, and Biden beating Trump who came in with 42 percent.

According to a recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll, 57 percent of those polled now support Trump in the upcoming Republican primary in a head-to-head contest with DeSantis, who garnered 31 percent.

Trump's lead follows a recent new Harvard/Harris poll that had 50 percent of voters saying Trump would beat Desantis if the GOP primary were held today.

Trump leads a list of potential GOP candidates in the primary according to other recent polls from Morning Consult and Harvard-Harris.

In the Morning Consult poll, Trump led the GOP contenders with 48 percent of respondents saying they wanted the former president at the top of the ticket. DeSantis' number two slot garnered 31 percent.