Trump Obliterates GOP Field In Turning Point Straw Poll

If there were any doubts as to the star of last weekend’s Turning Point Action Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, a straw poll put them quickly to rest. 

Former President Donald Trump took a whopping 87.5% of the votes by attendees for Republican candidates. In contrast, home state Gov. Ron DeSantis pulled down only 4.3%.

That 4.3% showing was only good enough for third place. Finishing second was businessman Perry Johnson with 7.8%.

The poll surveyed some 3,000 people at the conservative gathering, or roughly half of the 6,000 who showed up to meet GOP stars. Of impressive note is that fully half of those present were between 18 and 21.

The former president attended on Saturday and gave an impassioned speech. Trump called for dismantling the deep state and urged DeSantis, who was not present, to return to Florida and do the job he was elected to do.

His campaign reported that DeSantis spent the day in Iowa.

According to Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA founder, the results of the straw poll proved that Trump is the most dynamic force among conservatives. “All the attacks against him have seemingly made him even stronger and more popular among the conservative faithful.”

Behind Trump, DeSantis and Johnson was entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with 2%. Four other candidates received votes, but support was so miniscule that none drew more than a tenth of a percent of the tally.

Interestingly, Ramaswamy was the choice of half the respondents when asked who their second-place candidate would be. Trump was chosen by 21% and 13.5% picked DeSantis.

Kirk told the Washington Examiner that DeSantis’s choice to skip the event likely hurt him in the straw poll. He acknowledged that the Florida governor garners a lot of respect for what he’s accomplished in the state, but many were disappointed with his absence. 

Attendees were also asked for their preference for vice president. Kari Lake drew 30% of the support, 24% chose Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Ramaswamy took 22%. 

Last weekend’s poll only reinforced results from another conservative gathering in March. At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the former president took 62% of the total to 20% for DeSantis.