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A new poll shows former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a virtual tie among likely Republican primary voters in the battleground state of Michigan — a sign the 45th president may not cruise to the GOP nomination should he and DeSantis both run in 2024.
The survey commissioned by the Detroit News and WDIV found that 45% of likely Republican voters in the state would vote for Trump while 42% would back the Florida governor — well inside the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
The poll also found that 12% of voters were undecided about whom they’d support while 1% refused to answer.
Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin formed a trio of Democrat-leaning states — dubbed the “Blue Wall” — that Trump won to propel him to a stunning victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.
But GOPers in the Great Lakes State appear less sure about the former president in 2024.
Less than two-thirds of Michigan Republicans — approximately 64% — said they would “strongly” or “somewhat” support Trump in a third consecutive bid for the Oval Office, while 27% said they would “strongly” or “somewhat” oppose his campaign.
The survey appeared to show a correlation between Trump support and level of education. Among college-educated GOP voters, DeSantis leads Trump by 51% to 37%, while high school-educated voters back Trump by 55% to 29%.
Trump also leads DeSantis among so-called “Trump Republicans” — voters who consider themselves more loyal to the 45th president than the party itself — by 71% to 24%.
DeSantis led the former president among Republicans who said they supported the GOP more than Trump by 53% to 33%.
Trump has yet to formally announce another run for office, but he has repeatedly teased the decision, and revealed last week that he has made up his mind.
The former president was initially expected to announce a White House bid after this year’s midterm elections, but could announce earlier.
DeSantis has yet to announce a 2024 presidential bid; however, he has raked in millions of dollars for his re-election campaign from former donors to Trump.
“I don’t know if Ron is running, and I don’t ask him,” Trump told the New Yorker last month. “It’s his prerogative. I think I would win.”
Trump has maintained a large presence in the Republican Party since leaving office — mainly through endorsing candidates in various primaries. Some of those whom Trump has chosen to back support his claims that massive voter fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.
In the poll, 59% of Michigan Republican voters said they supported Trump’s election claims.
“I believe Trump,” Coldwater voter Nancy LaFrance told the Detroit News. “Just because they’ve got the Republican name doesn’t mean they’re Republican or that they’re out for the best of the people.”
Throughout this midterm cycle, Trump has repeatedly blasted Republicans who don’t support his fraud allegations as “RINOs” — Republicans in name only.
The survey was conducted among 500 registered voters, a relatively small sample size in presidential polls.