A new poll of likely voters in the Iowa presidential caucus has been released, and it shows that President Donald Trump is leading by a significant margin. However, two recently announced Republican contenders, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, have tied for second place in the survey.
Trump garnered 34% support in the poll, which was conducted by Fox News. The results are in line with recent Iowa polling, which has seen the president’s support remain steady in the state.
Haley, the newly-minted former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and DeSantis, the Florida Governor, both earned 11% of the vote in the survey. They finished just ahead of former Vice President Mike Pence, who earned 10%.
The survey also showed that 33% percent of respondents said they would “definitely” choose Haley or DeSantis if the 2020 Iowa caucuses were held today. This finding is significant, given that Haley and DeSantis have only recently launched their campaign efforts.
Despite the poll showing a tight race for second place, the latest Iowa results indicate a troubling outlook for the field of Republican primary challengers in the state. Trump’s lead is commanding, and, at this point, there is no indication that any of the other candidates are gaining ground on the president.
The Iowa caucuses will be an important marker in the 2020 race for the White House. Trump’s lead in the state is indicative of his overall strength among Republican voters, which could prove to be crucial come election day. Haley and DeSantis have their work cut out for them if they are to gain ground on the sitting president.