Ramaswamy Surges In Polls As Pence, Hutchinson Disappear

As we inch closer to the Republican primary elections, the political landscape is shaping up with surprising power shifts. Newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy earned high marks in last week’s Blaze Media straw poll. At the same time, established names such as former Vice President Mike Pence and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson struggled to make an impact.

The straw poll, conducted during the FAMiLY Leadership Summit, saw Ramaswamy, an author and entrepreneur, garner a striking 62% of votes when asked which candidate performed best. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was the second with over 32%, significantly trailing Ramaswamy. Notably, Pence and Hutchinson had less than 1% each, indicating their waning popularity among the conservative base.

When asked which candidate performed the worst, Pence was handed a resounding verdict with over 54% votes, while Hutchinson was close behind with 42%. The voters’ message seemed loud and clear: these candidates had not met their expectations.

Ramaswamy’s performance at the forum inspired confidence among respondents, with 78% reporting they were more likely to vote for him. The same could not be said for Pence or Hutchinson. Pence’s performance made over 88% of respondents less likely to vote for him, while that number was over 84% for Hutchinson. This points to an uphill battle for these seasoned politicians to regain their footing.

However, the event’s standout winner was absent. President Donald Trump, who did not attend, was the top choice among respondents for the Republican presidential primary, earning more than 51% of the votes. DeSantis was second with more than 32%, while Ramaswamy earned a respectable third-place finish with 13%.

Meanwhile, a recent Granite State Poll confirmed Trump’s strong position. Despite a slight dip in support, Trump still held a sizable lead over DeSantis in the key early primary state of New Hampshire. The poll found that 37% of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire would support Trump, compared to 23% for DeSantis.

Despite the steady lead, the survey reflected a growing sentiment of discontent with certain names within the Republican party. More than a third of New Hampshire Republicans, at 35%, said they would not vote for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie under any circumstances. Another 20% said they would never support Pence, while 18% said the same of Trump.

As we move closer to the primaries, these shifting dynamics and a surge of fresh faces like Ramaswamy could significantly impact the Republican field. Clearly, voters are seeking leadership that resonates with their conservative values, and they are not afraid to turn away from more established figures if they fail to deliver.