Former President Donald Trump has developed a massive lead in the race to secure the RNC’s nomination for President of the United States in November 2024. According to Five Thirty Eight, the former President has amassed the support of more than 50% of voters in the Republican Party. Following behind the frontrunner, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has picked up less than 16% of the party’s support. While Trump wasn’t in Milwaukee for the first Republican debate of the forthcoming election cycle, his supporters did not waste time criticizing the Florida governor’s performance in the midwest on Wednesday night.
“DeSantis is done after tonight. [He] barely had any airtime. All attention is on Vivek and attacks towards him. At the end of the day, Trump lives rent-free in all of their heads,” Students For Trump Founder Ryan Fournier tweeted.
“Ron DeSanctimonious’ campaign died tonight as he was leapfrogged by Vivek Ramaswamy. He needed a break-out performance and he failed,” senior adviser Jason Miller added.
DeSantis did not have the opportunity to verbally spar with the former President, but he was confronted with the presence of the former President multiple times throughout the night. When asked if he would support the former President if he were convicted of a crime and earned the party’s nomination, he hesitated to offer his support. Additionally, moderator Brett Baier also pointed out that Trump had amassed a major lead in the early race.
“[Former] President Trump is beating you by 30 and 40 points in many polls. So, it is a factor in a GOP primary,” Baier commented.
DeSantis will likely return to the debate stage in late September when Republican candidates meet in Simi Valley, California.
