Florida – The 2024 presidential election is approaching, but the headaches are by no means over for the former president Donald Trump, as he faces resentment not only from the unaffiliated voters who are slowly shifting toward Biden, but also from the Republican base. Last week, we reported that President Joe Biden is closing in on Trump’s lead in Florida. The survey showed Trump’s lead over Biden in Florida has diminished to just four points, with Trump at 50% and Biden at 46%. This development is particularly significant given that Trump won Florida by a 3.5% margin in 2020.
Dissension Within the GOP
And now, a new survey reveals that one in three Republican voters would have preferred a different candidate to Donald Trump. Despite Trump securing the Republican nomination in March after winning enough primary races, he does not command the full support of his base. According to a survey conducted by Canadian polling firm Leger, 33 percent of Republican voters would have preferred another politician, with this proportion rising to 47 percent among Republican voters aged 18-34.
Primary Season Protests
The Leger survey, which was conducted between May 24 and May 26 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.09 percent, underscores the growing discontent among some GOP members. Trump has faced protests during primary season, with voters in several states expressing their opposition by voting for other candidates.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination in March, garnered significant support in some states earlier this month. She won 20 percent of the vote in Maryland and 17.8 percent in Nebraska. Although Trump won the majority in these states, the results indicate that he does not have the full backing of Republicans in those regions. A similar pattern has been observed in other states, mirroring the protest votes seen against Democratic candidate and incumbent President Joe Biden in his own primary races.
Impact of Legal Issues
Trump’s campaign has been further complicated by his recent legal troubles. He was found guilty on all 34 counts in his high-profile hush money trial concerning payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Although the Leger poll was conducted before the guilty verdict, subsequent polls suggest that the verdict will negatively impact his campaign. Some voters appear to be switching their allegiance to Biden as a result.
A Morning Consult poll of 2,200 registered voters, conducted on May 31, found that 45 percent would vote for Biden, while 44 percent would vote for Trump. This poll showed Biden gaining three percentage points from a previous poll conducted on May 28. The narrow margin highlights the potential impact of Trump’s legal issues on his voter base.
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Republican Opposition
Since the guilty verdict, some Republicans have publicly opposed Trump, further suggesting that his campaign could be adversely affected. Experts predict that the dissension within the GOP and the legal setbacks could hamper Trump’s chances in the upcoming election.
Tight Race Expected
Despite these challenges, polls remain tight. The race between Trump and Biden, who will face each other on November 5 in a rematch of the 2020 election, is expected to be close. The contentious political landscape and the ongoing legal and political battles make it difficult to predict the outcome with certainty.
The division within the Republican Party and Trump’s legal troubles have created an uncertain path to the presidency for the former president. With a significant portion of the GOP base preferring a different candidate and the legal verdict impacting his support, Trump faces an uphill battle to secure a second term. As the election draws closer, it remains to be seen how these factors will influence voter behavior and the overall outcome of the race.
