An internal poll of Republican voters at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) found that Donald Trump again is their overwhelming top choice for president.
Trump won the vote decisively with 94 percent of the vote to Nikki Haley’s 5 percent. He also received a 96 percent job approval rating, with only 3 percent disapproving of his job performance as president out of the 1,478 poll respondents.
It’s the seventh year in a row that the former president dominated the annual poll as the choice for Republican nominee. He outperformed his March 2023 poll performance, where 62 percent of attendees listed him as their top choice going into 2024.
The win for the former president comes the same day he is facing off against Nikki Haley in the South Carolina primary. He addressed his adoring supporters earlier on Saturday declaring himself a ‘political dissident’ before departing to the Palmetto State for his expected victory speech this evening.
Out of the 17 potential running mates for Trump listed on the survey entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Kristi Noem tied at 15 percent of the vote.
Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard came in third place at 9 percent and Rep. Elise Stefanik and Sen. Tim Scott both landed in the fourth place spot tied at 8 percent.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders were all among the choices for voters at the conservative conference.
The poll represents the clearest choice among Republicans for the vice presidential spot as speculation has swirled for months about who Trump could pick to be his No. 2.
It’s the seventh year in a row that the former president dominated the choice for Republican nominee
Sen. Tim Scott rallies for Trump at a campaign stop in South Carolina
Gov. Kristi Noem has been a top contender for VP pick
Chatter about Trump’s running mate kicked off in earnest this week after the former president was asked by Fox News host Laura Ingraham Tuesday about a list of potential choices.
The list included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
Trump confirmed they were all on his short list.
‘Honestly all of those people are good. They’re all good, they’re all solid,’ he said.
The CPAC respondents also overwhelmingly think that Joe Biden will not be the Democratic nominee in 2024, and predicted former First Lady Michelle Obama would step in to fill his spot at 47 percent.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom came in second place at 32 percent.
The former president praised Tim Scott during his Friday rally in South Carolina.
‘He ran, and he was OK,’ Trump said of Scott’s 2024 campaign. He ended his run in October.
‘He’s a respected guy. But he ran and he did fine, and then when he got out he endorsed me and he’s a surrogate. He’s the greatest surrogate I’ve ever seen.’
‘This guy went from modest, high-quality man, introducing his mother — who’s incredible, by the way,’ said Trump.
‘He’s a much better representative for me than he is a representative for himself. And it’s true. And that’s a great compliment. And you know why? Because he’s a high-quality person. He doesn’t like talking about himself,’ said Trump in Scott’s home state.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, who were included in the straw poll, both spoke Friday at the conference.
The potential running mates spoke highly of the former president during their remarks, galvanizing voters behind Trump.
‘I have stood in the breach for President Trump, for the Constitution, and most importantly for you – the people – in some of toughest fights of our Republic,’ Stefanik said Friday.
Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is also in the mix as a potential VP pick
‘I have stood in the breach for President Trump, for the Constitution, and most importantly for you – the people – in some of toughest fights of our Republic,’ Stefanik said Friday
Gov. Ron DeSantis was notably absent from CPAC this year
Noem mocked President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris directly, questioned their leadership of the country and touted her own conservative credentials while thrilling the crowd in Washington.
‘I’m just going to say it. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? They suck,’ she said, prompting wild applause from activists in the room.
She also indicated that Biden might not even make it to the November election and ripped into the White House for failing to address the border.
‘We need to face the facts, Joe Biden is not going to the president and Kamala is not a backup plan,’ she said.
Noem praised Trump for his leadership, reminding the audience that she was one of the first politicians who stepped up to endorse Trump in 2024 – even when people were suggesting she run her own campaign.
‘I said no, why would would run for president if you can’t win,’ she said. ‘I didn’t said it to be nice. I said it because it was a fact.’
Former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard also appeared at CPAC, with a passionate speech defending former President Donald Trump and calling Democrats ‘dictators’ who want to ‘destroy democracy.’
‘I’ve met a lot of strong tough people in my life, I can’t think of a single one who could not only withstand all that is coming at Donald Trump without crumbling, but someone who would actually choose to keep fighting against the entire Washington establishment,’ Gabbard, D-Hawaii, said.