Ron DeSantis drops to fourth place in new South Carolina ballot: Florida Governor falls behind Nikki Haley and Tim Scott of their house state as he kicks off push for the evangelical vote

Ron DeSantis dropped to fourth place in a brand new South Carolina ballot as his marketing campaign prepares to make an enormous push for evangelical voters.

The Florida governor trailed Donald Trump and residential state favorites former Gov. Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott.

It is a surprising drop for DeSantis, who had been operating second behind the previous president. 

The brand new Monmouth College/Washington Put up ballot discovered Donald Trump with a two-to-one lead, 46% of Republican main voters would vote for the previous president. The subsequent closest is Haley with 18%, adopted by 10% for Scott and 9% for DeSantis.

Haley’s assist in her homestate is triple what it’s in nationwide polls whilst she comes off a powerful displaying within the first GOP debate and different polls confirmed Republicans suppose she will beat President Joe Biden.

South Carolina holds the third main contest on the highway to the Republican presidential nomination. It can happen on Feb. 24, 2024.

The state could make or break a presidential marketing campaign. In 2016, Trump solidified his grip on the nomination by successful the South Carolina main after shedding in Iowa and successful in New Hampshire. 

DeSantis has campaigned arduous within the state, sending spouse Casey to face in for him when he could not make an enormous GOP occasion there as a result of Hurricane Idalia hitting Florida. 

He entered the Republican presidential main with excessive expectations which have didn’t translate into arduous voter assist. 

However he is launching a brand new initiative on Thursday to court docket the Republican base. His focus is on evangelical voters, who make up robust percentages of the bottom in South Carolina and Iowa.

DeSantis introduced a Religion and Household Coalition that may push the concept of ‘God over authorities.’ His marketing campaign stated that DeSantis, as president, will ‘defend non secular freedom, enable folks of religion to flourish, and advance the tradition of life.’

Ron DeSantis dropped to fourth place in a brand new South Carolina ballot as his marketing campaign

Donald Trump leads two-to-one in a brand new ballot of South Carolina voters; Nikki Haley got here in second

Sen. Tim Scott walks by Casey DeSantis at a Religion & Freedom BBQ in South Carolina final month

He has competitors for the devoted – each Tim Scott and former vp Mike Pence are courting the evangelical voting bloc. 

About 35% of People establish as evangelical, of which 56% name themselves Republican, in accordance with the Pew Analysis Heart. 

DeSantis, who was raised Catholic, has begun to emphasise his religion as he campaigns for president.

‘Our family is a Christ-centered family,’ DeSantis advised Christian Broadcast Community’s David Brody earlier this yr.

He famous that for Christmas final yr, his son Mason, who was 4 on the time, requested for a slingshot so he might be like King David.

However the Florida governor would not discuss as a lot about his religion as Scott and Pence do about theirs. Each males have lengthy made it part of their identities.