Ron DeSantis Loses Popularity as Republicans Seek Presidential Nominee

Ron DeSantis losing popularity ahead of potential 2024 presidential campaign announcement
GOP presidential hopefuls blast Donald Trump and DeSantis over several foreign and domestic issues
Nikki Haley and Mike Pence take a shot at top candidates

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is losing popularity among the GOP amid a looming 2024 presidential campaign confirmation as Republicans are looking for another candidate to support in next year's elections.

Several GOP presidential hopefuls have been trying to make a name for themselves in recent weeks to carve out a third option other than Donald Trump and DeSantis. They are doing so by portraying the two leading candidates as mere clones.

GOP Seeks New Presidential Candidate

In a statement, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence, both running for the 2024 presidential race, have started to take more aggressive stances. They have criticized the positions held by the former president and DeSantis on several foreign and domestic issues.

Haley's adviser, Nachama Soloveichik, said that DeSantis copied what Trump said about Ukraine and other issues. As per Politico, she also described her boss as a leader who could face the issues plaguing the country.

Soloveichik added that the American people deserve to have a choice and not a copycat to lead the country in the future. On the other hand, a spokesperson for DeSantis did not respond to requests for comment regarding the remarks.

The situation among Republicans has become a subterranean primary campaign within the primary campaign. There is now a war for the third seat in the nominating contest, and it is a position that could potentially attract a smaller coalition of traditional conservatives to shore up support.

This week, the former South Carolina governor placed an op-ed where she decried the "weakness from some on the right" regarding Ukraine. Haley also criticized DeSantis's backward suggestion that the conflict is simply a "territorial dispute."

Republicans in Turmoil Within Own Party

A recent survey also shows that more Americans are now opposed than in favor of seven of eight signature policies DeSantis put forth in his home state. According to Yahoo News, support for his policies ranges from 36% to a low of 21%.

Furthermore, DeSantis is not faring better on foreign policy after he said last week that further involvement in the fight between Russia and Ukraine would not be one of the country's vital national interests.

Despite his remarks, it was shown that more Americans consider the conflict an "invasion of Ukraine by Russia" rather than a territorial dispute, as the Florida governor claims. Furthermore, only 32% of those surveyed think the war is none of the US's business.

On the other hand, former President Trump widens his lead over DeSantis in a national poll for the second time. The Republican businessman is at 41% compared to the Florida governor's 27%.

The poll, conducted from March 16 to 20, showed that Trump is slowly edging the two-term Florida governor 47%-46% in a hypothetical two-person Republican nomination showdown, said Fox News.