In a decisive move reflecting the conservative pulse, President Donald Trump dominated the Turning Point Action’s GOP primary straw poll, garnering an impressive 87.5% of the votes. The conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, saw Trump reign supreme over other potential Republican candidates, reinforcing his unflagging influence within the party’s grassroots.
In the Trafalgar Group poll, approximately 3,000 attendees responded, representing half of the total attendees. Participants were a balanced mix of ages, half between 18 and 21 and the remaining from varying age groups.
Donald Trump Dominates Turning Point Action’s GOP Primary Straw Poll at 87.5% https://t.co/A4YfuvHZPD
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who didn’t attend the event in his home state, captured a mere 4.3% of the votes. Surprisingly, DeSantis was outperformed by businessman Perry Johnson, who secured 7.8% of the votes despite being relatively much less known.
Turning Point Action founder and CEO Charlie Kirk expressed his views about the poll’s outcome, stating, “The straw poll demonstrates that President Trump remains the single most dominant force among the conservative grassroots.” This reaffirms the enduring support for Trump, whose influence grows more robust in the face of criticism and adversity.
While DeSantis’ absence was notable, Bryan Griffin, his campaign press secretary, asserted that the Governor was fulfilling other duties, speaking at the Tennessee GOP Statesman Dinner and focusing on his campaign.
Many attendees were reportedly disappointed with DeSantis’ decision to skip the event. Kirk explained that the Governor’s absence probably hurt his showing, highlighting how individuals expressed their disappointment multiple times. However, the underwhelming response to DeSantis didn’t deter participants from showing “measurable” support for him, as observed by a large cardboard cutout of the Governor’s face outside the main hall.
The conference was not without its share of other contenders. For attendees’ second preference, half chose Vivek Ramaswamy, who was also present at the event. Trump emerged as the second choice for 21% of the respondents, while DeSantis was selected by 13.5%. Kirk praised Ramaswamy’s participation: “Vivek showed up and gave a great speech, and he was the clear second-choice favorite among our people.”
Turning Point Action’s straw poll results clearly underline the enduring popularity of Trump among conservative circles, as well as the potential repercussions of absence, as evidenced by DeSantis’ results. However, this event is just one barometer of the political climate leading up to 2024.
The straw poll also revealed that more than 95% of the respondents were against U.S. involvement in the Ukraine war, citing America’s southern border as the “most important issue” facing the nation. Intriguingly, about 66% said they didn’t trust the RNC to get voters to the polls in 2024.
While this conference and its outcomes have illuminated the current standing of various potential GOP candidates, only the primary and subsequent elections will determine the party’s future leadership and, potentially, the nation. Trump’s dominance in this poll indicates he remains a resilient, formidable force in American conservatism.
