Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis edged out former President Donald Trump as conservatives’ choice for president in 2024 in a straw poll conducted over the weekend — as Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced that he is not considering a run for the White House.
DeSantis pulled in 74 percent approval to Trump’s 71 percent in the poll conducted at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver.
The first-term governor, who has endeared himself to conservatives for bucking coronavirus restrictions and lockdowns, and combating critical race theory as well as tech censorship in his state, hasn’t said he would mount a campaign in 2024.
But Trump has said that if he runs for re-election, he would be happy to have DeSantis as a running mate.
“Sure I would … I would certainly consider Ron,” Trump told Fox Business in an interview earlier this month.
The survey, which queried the attendees on whom they would approve of for president in the 2024 election, was conducted in person among the roughly 500 people at the conference and those monitoring it online.
The list of 31 candidates included Republicans and Democrats.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) came in third with 43 percent, followed in the top five by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with 39 percent and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) with 36 percent.
Former Vice President Mike Pence finished 10th with 21 percent — one place below Donald Trump Jr., who garnered 24 percent.
Former first lady Michelle Obama finished among the top of the Democratic candidates with nearly 3 percent of the vote — tied with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
President Biden got 2 percent.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tied with slightly less than 2 percent support.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg came in last with less than 1 percent, as did Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Carlson wasn’t listed in the straw poll, but he told the “Ruthless” podcast that he has no intention of throwing his hat in the ring despite speculation that he might.
“Oh, God, come on!” Carlson, who has the most-watched cable news show, said in the interview last Friday.
“That seems like a fun job. I’m sure my poor children would love that. Can you imagine?” he said. “I’ve known and talked to every president, you know, for a while, for like more than 30 years. And you know, I can’t think of anyone whose life was improved by that.”
“I mean, I guess if I was the last person on Earth, I could do it, but I mean, it seems pretty unlikely that I would be that guy,” Carlson said.