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Indian-Americans Ramaswamy, Haley Surpass DeSantis To Emerge As Second And Third Most Popular Choices For Republican Ticket

Bhuvan KrishnaSep 21, 2023, 02:00 PM | Updated 02:00 PM IST
Indian-American presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy (Left) and Nikki Haley. (Right)

Indian-American presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy (Left) and Nikki Haley. (Right)


Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was once seen as a major rival to former president Donald Trump, has seen a decline in popularity in the latest Republican Party or GOP polls in New Hampshire.

According to a CNN survey, two Indian-American presidential candidates, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, have surpassed DeSantis in the crucial early primary state.

The CNN poll reveals that Trump remains the top choice for 39 per cent of likely GOP primary voters in the state, maintaining his strong support.

However, Trump's performance in New Hampshire falls slightly behind his national popularity, where he consistently garners majority support in Republican primary polling.

One notable development is the ongoing decline in DeSantis' standing. He has now fallen behind both Ramaswamy and Haley, both of whom are Indian-American candidates.

Ramaswamy's popularity continues to rise, while Haley too, is quickly gaining ground in the polls.

Ramaswamy currently has 13 per cent support, placing him closely behind Trump, who is leading the race. Haley follows closely with 12 per cent support, while former New Jersey governor Chris Christie holds 11 per cent, as reported by CNN.

The decline in DeSantis' popularity can be attributed to a significant decrease in support among moderates, dropping from 26 per cent in July to just 6 per cent now.

However, his support among conservatives only fell by eight points, according to the opinion poll.

The CNN poll reveals that Ramaswamy's increase in support is primarily among individuals who are not registered Republicans, showing a rise of 16 points since July. His support has remained relatively steady among registered Republicans.

Additionally, his popularity has grown among likely younger voters, with an increase of 28 points among those under 35 and 11 points among those aged 35-49. However, his support remains consistent among those aged 50 or above.

Haley's increase in support is more pronounced among individuals with higher levels of education, with an 11-point increase among those who have completed some postgraduate work and a 15-point increase among other college graduates.

Furthermore, her support has grown significantly among moderates, with an 18-point gain in that group. Her level of support among conservatives remains relatively unchanged since July, according to the poll.

The Trump campaign celebrated the poll results, noting that DeSantis has dropped to fifth place in New Hampshire.

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