![Fox & Friends discusses the TPUSA straw poll for Republican presidential contenders [Screenshot Fox & Friends]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Screen-Shot-2022-07-25-at-11.46.32-AM-e1658764058911.png "Fox & Friends discusses the TPUSA straw poll for Republican presidential contenders [Screenshot Fox & Friends]")
Former President Donald Trump criticized Fox & Friends on Monday morning for allegedly “botching” his poll numbers “on purpose.”
Fox & Friends discussed a straw poll conducted at the Turning Point USA conference in Tampa Bay, Florida. The poll showed Trump receiving 78.7% of support among those polled, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has been floated as a possible contender, received 19%. The show hosts noted that the poll is just made up of a small “group of young Republican conservative activists.”
“Keep in mind, Turning Point, a group of young Republican conservative activists from all across the country, so, you have got people from all across the country convening in Tampa,” host Steve Doocy said. “I am thinking about, that is a little different than a couple of other polls that we have seen over the last couple of weeks, two weeks ago in Florida, Blueprint polling did a poll: DeSantis leads the former president in all age groupings. Then there was a University of New Hampshire poll in June, DeSantis actually led Trump 39 to 37 … it’s like the young people who are activists at that event like the former president, but looking at these other polls, different answers.”
Trump then took to Truth Social to lash out at the show. (RELATED: DeSantis Overtakes Trump In Fundraising)
“@Foxandfriends just really botched my poll numbers, no doubt on purpose. That show has been terrible – gone to the ‘dark side.’ They quickly quote the big Turning Point Poll victory of almost 60 points over the number two Republican, then hammer me with outliers,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Actually, almost all polls have me leading all Republicans & Biden BY A LOT. RINO Paul Ryan, one of the weakest and worst speakers EVER, must be running the place. Anyway, thank you to Turning Point, the crowd & ‘love’ was AMAZING!”
Trump and DeSantis have remained neck-in-neck in recent polls. A Politico/Morning Consult poll found if the 2024 Republican primary was held today, 53% of those polled would choose Trump. A WDIV/Detroit News survey found 45.2% of those polled favored Trump while 41.6% favor DeSantis.
DeSantis had stronger support among college-educated voters while Trump appeals to those with no more than a high school diploma, the poll found.
Trump hasn’t let the poll numbers dissuade him, telling The New Yorker he doesn’t know or care to know whether DeSantis plans on running because he is confident he’d sweep the stage.