MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough dismissed former President Donald Trump’s lead in the polls, arguing instead that voters are simply too scared to say who they really want in office.

Trump is ahead in Republican primary polls while remaining neck and neck with President Joe Biden in general election polls.

“A number that stood out to us from the new NBC News, Des Moines Register and Mediacom poll. In the survey, 41% of likely caucus-goers say they would want Donald Trump to continue as the leader of the GOP. But an even larger number, 57%, say it’s time for the Republican Party to find new leadership,” co-host Mika Brzezinski said.

“Again, you know, Willie, that’s about 6 out of 10, according to my University of Alabama Bachelor of Arts History Major degree,” Scarborough said. “That means 6 out of 10 Republicans in the Iowa caucus, that are likely caucus-goers are saying, ‘It’s time to move on. It’s time to find somebody new.’”

WATCH:

 

“And yesterday, we saw a clip from a focus group out in Iowa, and there was a lady who basically was afraid to come on the air and admit that she was moving away from Donald Trump. She wanted the Republicans to win. She was grateful for President Trump and all he did, but it was time to move away. She had said that she was afraid to come on the show — afraid to talk to the Reporter, but she had to do it because people needed to know that she was going to do it,” Scarborough said.

For the first time, it hit me — and Mika and I have sort of seen this in our own life with our own friends who supported Donald Trump, it’s almost like a reverse Bradley effect. They’ve moved on. They want to win again. But they don’t — they aren’t really comfortable admitting it, especially to people that Donald Trump says wears horns and are enemies of the state, or all the people that Donald Trump has suggested that his supporters hate,” Scarborough continued.

“So you have people quietly saying, 6 out of 10 in Iowa, they’re ready to move on. You have others starting to quietly move away, hoping the rest don’t pick up on it, the more hard-core members. So, again, I agree with Ann Selzer, you look at those numbers, this cake isn’t baked yet.”

Co-host Willie Geist agreed, arguing that Trump’s core base is not “going anywhere” but that other Republicans feel “exhausted” by the former president. (RELATED: ‘Lose The Idea’: CNN Analyst Pours Cold Water On Trump Critics Skeptical He Can Win In 2024)

“He is in command of this primary right now,” Geist said. “Whether he ekes out a victory or wins big in Iowa, he didn’t have to be on that debate stage because he is leading by such a wide margin in this primary, right now anyway.”

Several polls show Trump upwards of 45% ahead of Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is viewed as Trump’s greatest competitor in the primaries. Both a CBS News and Quinnipiac polls show DeSantis not even cracking 20%.

Trump has refused to debate in the Republican primaries, citing his massive leads in the polls as his reason.

“Why would I allow people at 1% and 2% and 0% to be hitting me with questions all night?” Trump told Fox News‘ Bret Baier in June.