August 2023 Republican Presidential Primary Update
Donald Trump holds a sizable lead nationally, but his lead shrinks significantly in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
According to new polling conducted by Echelon Insights on behalf of Republican Main Street Partnership of likely Republican primary voters and caucus-goers, the Republican primary contest may look well in hand for Donald Trump in our national polling, but polling in the critical states of Iowa and New Hampshire shows a much tighter race for the GOP nomination.
Nationally, Donald Trump holds a commanding lead, with 57% of likely Republican primary voters nationwide saying they would choose Trump as their candidate. In a distant second place is challenger Vivek Ramaswamy, coming in forty-two points lower at 15%, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming in third (12%).
However, in the early states, the picture is quite different.
In Iowa, Donald Trump garners 33% of the likely GOP caucusgoer vote, with his lead over second place Ron DeSantis looking much smaller than his lead nationally. DeSantis comes in at 17% with Tim Scott also receiving double-digit support (13%).
In New Hampshire, Trump also earns about one-third (34%) of the likely GOP primary vote, but in the Granite State his closest competitor appears to be Chris Christie at 14% and Vivek Ramaswamy at 11%.