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Underscoring the unparalleled sway Trump enjoys over the
Republican base, his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron
DeSantis, garnered 28% of votes at the Conservative Political
Action Conference gathering in Orlando.
CPAC tends to draw from the more conservative wing of the
Republican Party, and its polls are not necessarily a reliable
predictor of the eventual nominee. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas,
for instance, beat out rivals in its 2016 straw poll but Trump
ended up clinching the nomination.
Last year in Orlando, Trump reportedly garnered 55% of votes,
more than twice as many as DeSantis, who was also a featured
speaker. Trump then reportedly received 70% of votes at CPAC's
summer gathering in Dallas last July.
Trump has yet to say whether he will run in 2024, although he
has heavily hinted that he will and is already an important
political force ahead of November's congressional elections.
Still, he is facing multiple legal investigations that could
complicate a potential presidential run.
In a straw poll question that omitted Trump, DeSantis garnered
61% of votes.
Many CPAC attendees said DeSantis, a 43-year old former lawyer
with three young children and a wife who has been battling
breast cancer, could easily wait and run for president in 2028.
"DeSantis, we'd like to keep him as governor here. I want Trump
to run and win," said CPAC attendee Tom Freeman, 66, who works
at a retail company in Florida.
(Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Daniel Wallis and
Doina Chiacu)
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