Trump holds 23-point lead over DeSantis among Iowa Republican caucusgoers: survey 

Former President Trump holds a comfortable lead over GOP presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis among likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers, according to a poll released Monday.

The NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll found that 42 percent of likely Republican caucus attendees in Iowa listed Trump as their first choice, giving the former president a 23-point lead over DeSantis, who was picked by 19 percent.

NBC News noted that Trump’s lead is widest in a Republican caucus poll since former President George W. Bush’s lead in 2000.

Republican Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) came in third place with 9 percent support in the new survey, followed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence, who each received 6 percent. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received 5 percent support, conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy received 4 percent, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum received 2 percent and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd received 1 percent.

No other candidate received more than 1 percent support.

Trump touted the results in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying he “got the Farmers 28 Billion Dollars from China, the USMCA Trade Deal (& many others!), saved Ethanol, Social Security, and MediCare, & got Iowa ‘First In the Nation’ status.”

“Anyway, I’m at 51%, a 31 Point lead over “farmer hating” DeSanctimonious, with the others gaining on him, but not on me!” he added.

However, the poll also found that Iowa Republicans are still actively considering other candidates besides Trump.

Twenty percent of likely GOP caucusgoers listed DeSantis as their second choice, with an additional 22 percent saying they were still actively considering the Florida governor. Fifteen percent said Scott was their second choice, with 29 percent saying they are actively considering the South Carolina Republican.

Additionally, 52 percent of likely Republican caucus attendees said they have yet to make up their mind on whom to support and that they could be convinced to support another candidate.

The first Republican debate of the 2024 primaries is scheduled for Wednesday. Trump said Sunday he will not attend the debate, citing his sizable lead in national polls as the primary reason.

The NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll was conducted Aug. 13-17 among 406 Iowa voters likely to attend the 2024 Republican caucus and has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

–Updated at 11:47 a.m.