After announcing her 2024 presidential campaign, a recent Rasmussen Reports survey found former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley leads President Joe Biden in a hypothetical matchup, but badly trails former President Donald Trump among GOP voters.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that, if the 2024 election were between Haley and Biden, 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for Haley and 41% would vote for Biden. Ten percent (10%) say they’d vote for some other candidate. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Rasmussen found forty-seven percent (47%) of voters view Haley favorably, including 17% with a Very Favorable impression of her. Thirty-seven percent (37%) view her unfavorably, including 17% with a Very Unfavorable impression. Sixteen percent (16%) are not sure.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of Republicans, 41% of Democrats and 44% of voters not affiliated with either major party have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Haley. Forty-five percent (45%) of Democrats, 29% of Republicans and 37% of unaffiliated voters have an unfavorable impression of Haley.
Significantly, said Rasmussen, more men (56%) than women voters (39%) have a favorable impression of Haley. If the choice for president in 2024 were between Haley and Biden, Haley would get 51% of men’s votes but only 40% of the vote from women.
While voters under 40 have a somewhat more favorable impression of Haley than their elders, in a 2024 matchup against Biden, she would do better among older voters, with 52% of those ages 40-64 and 50% of voters 65 and older choosing Haley.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of whites, 47% of black voters and 58% of other minorities have at least a somewhat favorable impression of Haley. In a 2024 presidential contest against Biden, Haley would win whites by a plurality, 48% to 41%, and also win with other minorities 44% to 37%, while black voters prefer Biden, 50% to 33%.
Breaking down the electorate by income categories, in a 2024 contest between Haley and Biden, Haley would do best among voters with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000. Demonstrating once again that Democrats have become the party of the wealthy elite, Biden scores highest among those with incomes of $200,000 or more.
Now, here’s where the survey results get a little weird.
Rasmussen speculated that Biden’s supporters may view Haley as an easier GOP opponent for the Democrat to beat in 2024. That possibility is suggested by the fact that, among those who Strongly Approve of Biden’s job performance as president, 44% would want Haley to win the Republican nomination, compared to nine percent (9%) who would prefer Trump and eight percent (8%) who want DeSantis as the 2024 GOP nominee.
By comparison, among voters who Strongly Disapprove of Biden’s performance, Trump (48%) is the strong favorite, followed by DeSantis at 32% and Haley a distant third at eight percent (8%).
Rasmussen’s Mark Mitchell explains in detail how this all fits in this video and it is well worth watching.
Rasmussen also found:
Most voters view DeSantis favorably, but if he decides to enter the 2024 presidential race, he would face an uphill battle for the Republican nomination against Trump.
Biden would defeat Trump In a hypothetical 2024 rematch, while Trump would win with Vice President Kamala Harris as his Democratic opponent.
2024 presidential election
2024 GOP presidential candidates
Nikki Haley
Donald Trump
Joe Biden
2024 polls