Hear Who Voters Say Won the Second GOP Primary Debate
The 538/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted immediately following the debate revealed a dramatic shift in voter sentiment. Before the debate, voters anticipated Ramaswamy would deliver the strongest performance, followed by DeSantis and then Haley. However, the post-debate consensus crowned DeSantis as the clear winner, with Haley and Ramaswamy trailing behind.
DeSantis emerged as the unequivocal victor in the second Republican Party primary debate. Contrary to pre-debate expectations, DeSantis outshone pharmaceutical executive Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to claim the top spot.
DeSantis’s victory was indisputable. A remarkable 33 percent of likely Republican voters who watched the debate declared him the best performer, while a mere 5 percent thought he performed the worst. Haley secured the second position with 18 percent rating her as the strongest debater and only 7 percent rating her as the worst.
Ramaswamy, the pre-debate favorite, came third with 15 percent of voters declaring him the best, but 10 percent thought he performed the worst. In stark contrast, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) failed to inspire strong feelings either way.
The losers of the night, according to the poll, were former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence. A separate focus group conducted by CNN in Iowa immediately following the debate echoed these results, with most participants agreeing that DeSantis won the debate.
When asked to vote, nine people voted for DeSantis, six voted for Haley, one voted for Burgum, one voted for Ramaswamy, and none voted for Christie, Pence, or Scott. When asked who had a bad night, the consensus was Pence.
This dramatic shift in voter sentiment marks a significant turning point in the 2024 GOP primary race. DeSantis’s victory demonstrates his ability to connect with voters and articulate a compelling conservative vision. As the primary race heats up, it remains to be seen whether DeSantis can maintain this momentum and secure the Republican nomination.