A new poll from Pew Research Center reveals an interesting shift in the race for Republican presidential nomination. The poll shows that 7 in 10 Republican voters would be satisfied with Donald Trump as the party's nominee. This marks a distinct and noteworthy change as the former president surges in popularity.
According to the poll, top choices for GOP nominee weren't restricted to a pre-populated list. Republican voters, when asked, 'Who do you want to be the nominee?', yielded fascinating results. Trump stands as the favored candidate at 52 percent. Reflecting on previous years, a similar question asked by Monmouth University illustrated a different scenario. A year ago, Ron DeSantis had a 13 point lead over Trump. Infact, DeSantis has seen a 25 point drop as Trump's popularity soared by the same measure.
Current numbers indicate a widening gap between Trump and other potential GOP candidates. The next two competitors trail far behind, garnering merely 14 and 11 percent.
Simultaneously, we've seen a fluctuation in views surrounding Nikki Haley. Favorable ratings of Haley have seen a downturn from 47 percent in September to 42 percent currently. Adding fuel to the fire, Haley's unfavorable ratings have increased from 21 percent to a notable 30 percent.
The tide also seems to be turning when it comes to endorsements. Critics cannot ignore the impressive 98 endorsements that Trump touts from governors and members of Congress. Haley, despite key nods from figures like Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, stands quite far behind with just two. When compared to the 2016 run, Haley's approximate 7 endorsements appear relatively meager compared to Trump's current level.
Lending further perspective to the results, the leader in endorsements typically fares better in the GOP primary. However, Trump was an anomaly in 2016, enduring without any endorsements. Current trends, however, suggest that he embraces a position of strength, both in endorsements and voter preference. It remains to be seen whether this trend holds steady over the course of the race.
