(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may not be an official presidential candidate, but he would fare well in Utah if he ran, according to a poll by the Deseret News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
Almost 75% of the 802 Utah residents polled said they planned to vote in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Just over 24% of the 802 Utah residents polled said they would support DeSantis in the 2024 presidential primary.
But the biggest surprise might be their second choice – Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney – who garnered 16.4% of the support. Former President Donald Trump came in third with 14.6%. Former vice-president Mike Pence and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, both received 6%.
Nearly half of all respondents said they had a strongly unfavorable opinion of Trump. Nineteen percent said they had a strongly favorable opinion of the former president and 18.6% had a somewhat favorable opinion.
Trump fared better among respondents that identified as Republicans. Almost 51% said they had a favorable opinion of Trump with 47% saying they had an unfavorable opinion.
The poll was taken between Nov. 18 and Nov. 23.
Trump announced on Nov. 15 that he would run for president for the third time. DeSantis nor Cheney have announced they would run.
DeSantis overwhelmingly defeated former Gov. Charlie Crist last month to win his second term in office, taking former Democratic stronghold Miami-Dade County.
Cheney has served on the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and voted to impeach Trump. She was defeated in the Republican primary by Harriet Hageman, who was backed by Trump. Hageman went on to defeat Democrat Lynnette Grey Bull.
