The latest Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom “Iowa Poll” shows former President Donald Trump has the support of just over half of likely Iowa Caucus-goers.
The poll found Trump’s lead in Iowa has grown since late October by eight points. Trump now leads Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by 32 points and is 35 points ahead of former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Haley spoke to a large crowd on a farm near Waukee Sunday afternoon. Haley pointed to national polls which show her leading President Biden. “Think about it. That means up and down for our governors, for our Senate seats, for our House seats,” Haley said, “but that means an economy that gets back on track because we have the landslide victory.”
During an appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa PBS this weekend, DeSantis said there is “a clear appetite” for a different GOP nominee in 2024. “I kind of think to myself: If Ronald Reagan were running for a third time, he’d be getting 90% from Republicans,” DeSantis said.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy had 5% support in the Iowa Poll, just ahead of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has not campaigned in Iowa. Ramaswamy has been telling audiences first-time Caucus-goers are going to show up to vote for him on January 15. “I’m not beholden to those special interests,” Ramaswamy said Saturday in Sioux Center. “I don’t report to the establishment.”
Five percent of the Iowans polled who said they intend to vote in the Caucuses said they haven’t picked a candidate yet. And a shrinking number think Trump’s legal woes would make him less likely to beat President Biden next November. Former Governor Asa Hutchinson was at 1% in the Iowa Poll, which was released at 5 a.m. this (Monday) morning. Texas pastor Ryan Binkley, who says he’s campaigned in all 99 counties, was at zero. T
he poll was conducted from Saturday, December 2 through Thursday, December 7 — the day after the last televised debate. Trump is scheduled to campaign in Waterloo tomorrow.
The Iowa Caucuses are five weeks away.