Trump Holds 13-Point Lead on DeSantis in Latest WSJ Poll

Former President Donald Trump leads Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, 51% to 38%, in the latest Wall Street Journal (Center bias) 2024 presidential primary poll.

The Details: The results are the opposite of December's poll, which gave DeSantis a 52-38 edge over Trump. Several other polls around that time gave DeSantis a similar advantage. When pitted against the rest of the field in the recent WSJ poll, 48% of likely Republican primary voters said they'd support Trump, with 24% saying they'd vote for DeSantis. Meanwhile, the poll also shows that roughly 41% of potential voters say DeSantis would be a stronger opponent for Biden, compared to 31% who say the same for Trump.

For Context: DeSantis's popularity with national Republican voters has suffered in recent weeks, while Trump builds momentum after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. DeSantis has yet to announce his 2024 presidential campaign.

How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the poll. In the days before the poll's release, sources on both left and right published articles suggesting that Trump's post-indictment momentum might be cooling off.