DeSantis has been desperately fighting for the GOP nomination. Now he’s received something straight out of left field.
And Ron DeSantis was just blindsided with career-changing news.
According to a recent 538/Washington Post/Ipsos poll done after the fourth Republican Party presidential primary debate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was named as having “performed best” in the debate by the majority of respondents.
DeSantis shared the platform with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy flanking him.
According to those who saw the NewsNation debate in Alabama, DeSantis fared the best, followed by Haley (23%), Christie (19%), and Ramaswamy (16%).
While 7% said DeSantis was the worst, 9% thought Haley was the worst, 31% thought Christie was the worst, and 37% thought Ramaswamy was the worst.
New Washington Post post-debate poll finds DeSantis won the fourth debate. pic.twitter.com/oOg0duDotv
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) December 8, 2023
There was no movement in the poll in terms of candidates gaining or falling in voters’ perceptions as to who they would vote for.
DeSantis had the highest percentage of voters considering voting for him of all of the candidates on stage, at 56%.
Former President Donald Trump received 61% despite not participating.
Megyn Kelly, the debate moderator, stated on Thursday that she believed DeSantis won the debate and that Haley, who has risen to third place in the polls, lost the debate.
“I mean, with all respect to her, I thought Nikki Haley lost last night because she shrunk away like she was not really a presence, and she’s been increasing her poll numbers by getting out there and being pugilistic, and that version of her did not appear on stage last night,” Kelly said.
“I thought Ron DeSantis had his best debate yet,” she added.
"She was not really a prescense."
Debate moderate Megyn Kelly says she thinks Nikki Haley lost — and Ron DeSantis won. pic.twitter.com/uBuAIyn5cg
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) December 7, 2023
“And so I think you could probably say he’s the winner because he’s in the best poll position of the four.”
Kelly’s evaluation of the candidates’ debate performances closely mirrored remarks made by high-profile analysts and political observers online, however a CNN focus group revealed that six of eight participants thought Haley won the debate.
If DeSantis or any of these other candidates have any hope of beating Trump in the primary, others need to drop out.
It’s going to take as many votes as they can get.
But, unfortunately for them, it looks like this one might blow right by them with Trump as the winner.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.