Former President Donald Trump holds a double-digit lead over Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with minority Republican primary voters, recent polls show.
Trump leads DeSantis by an average of 55% to 26% with non-white Republican primary voters, based on an average of two polls by CNN/SSRS and Quinnipiac released in mid-March. Among white voters, Trump averaged a 38% to 37% lead against DeSantis, within the margin of error of both polls.
“An average of CNN/SSRS and Quinnipiac University polls released this week reveals that Trump’s lead may, in large part, be because of his clear edge among potential Republican primary voters of color,” writes Harry Enten | Analysishttps://t.co/1wLjeZ4MMc
— CNN (@CNN) March 19, 2023
The combined sample size of the minority voters was about 200 respondents, and each poll used a nationally representative sample. CNN’s margin of error was +/- 3.8% and Quinnipiac’s was 2.3% either way. (RELATED: Donald Trump Pulling Away From Ron DeSantis In Recent Polling Aggregates)
Trump’s lead among minority Republicans reflects a socioeconomic divide between his supporters and DeSantis’ supporters. CNN’s poll shows Trump is up 22% with Republican households making $50,000 a year or less, with 45% of minority Republicans falling into that category, compared with 28% of white Republicans.
Trump is down 13% to DeSantis among households making more than $50,000 a year, CNN surveyed. The former president trails DeSantis by 26 points among white college-educated Republicans, according to the Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday.
Minority Republican voters make up about 18% of the GOP primary electorate, a 5% increase from 2016, according to CNN. Trump improved significantly among non-white voters in the 2020 election, fueled by a 10% increase in support from Hispanics nationwide, Pew Research data shows.
DeSantis is widely expected to run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination against Trump and a growing field of candidates. The Florida governor is expected to be Trump’s most formidable challenger, state and national polls show.