Sen. Tim Scott is gaining on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the battle for second place in Iowa, a new poll shows.
A Fox Business survey released Sunday shows former President Donald Trump continuing to dominate the GOP field – supported by 46 percent of potential Iowa Republican caucus-goers.
Sixteen percent of potential Iowa caucus-goers chose DeSantis as their first choice, while 11 percent said Scott.
All the other GOP hopefuls are polling in the single-digits, with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswany with 6 percent, former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley with 5 percent, former Vice President Mike Pence with 4 percent and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum both with 3 percent.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez both have 1 percent support, while conservative talk show host Larry Elder and former Rep. Will Hurd have yet to make it to 1 percent.
Former President Donald Trump continues to dominate the GOP field, with a new poll showing Sen. Tim Scott encroaching on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ No. 2 spot in Iowa, which holds the nation’s first presidential contest
Sen. Tim Scott is threatening Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in Iowa. He’s photographed earlier this month campaigning in Des Moines
The Fox Business poll comes after a Kaplan Strategies survey from Thursday showed Ramaswany encroaching on DeSantis nationally, as the Florida governor attempts to reboot his campaign.
In that poll, DeSantis and Ramaswany were tied for second place, each garnering 12 percent support, while Scott received 5 percent.
The Iowa poll is important because it’s the state that holds the first caucus in the nation and could provide a candidate momentum to take on Trump, who has so far dominated all the GOP surveys.
‘Scott has a decent hand in Iowa,’ Democratic pollster Chris Anderson told Fox Business.
Anderson’s firm Beacon Research conducts the Fox Business survey along with Republican Daron Shaw.
When Republican voters were asked who they wouldn’t support, Pence received the poorest marks – with 37 percent saying they wouldn’t back the former vice president.
After Pence, 22 percent said Trump, 21 percent said Haley and 17 percent said DeSantis.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been in second place in the Republican primary polls for months, but now he’s being challenged by Sen. Tim Scott in Iowa -and a national poll had him tied for second with Vivek Ramaswany last week
Just 12 percent indicated they would not support Scott.
‘Nearly 9 in 10 caucus-goers are open to him, and he is drawing about equally from moderate Republicans as from the most conservative, meaning different types of voters are seeing things they like in him,’ Anderson said.
Interestingly, if Trump pulled out of the race, the biggest group of his supporters would go to DeSantis.
Thirty-four percent of Trump voters said their second choice in the GOP primary field was DeSantis. Another 14 percent said they’d support Scott.
After that, 13 percent would support Ramaswany and 13 percent would choose Pence.
Among DeSantis supporters, Trump is the most popular second choice pick.
Thirty-three percent said they’d support the former president, followed by 23 percent who would pick Scott.
Thirteen percent would back Ramaswany, 11 percent would choose Haley and 10 percent would choose Pence.
Voters were also asked their views on candidates skipping debates – which Trump has threatened to do.
Fifty-nine percent said it was a sign of weakness, while 27 percent said it showed strength.
The first Republican primary debate will take place on August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Iowa Republican caucuses are scheduled for January 15.
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percent.
