Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' chances of winning the 2024 Republican presidential nomination are lessening, according to a United Kingdom bookmaker.
Bettors on the Smarkets online exchange say DeSantis has a 15.62% chance of winning the nomination. Still, he is second among GOP candidates to former President Donald Trump.
Trump is the heavy favorite to lead the Republican national ticket as nearly 70% of bettors say he will earn the spot.
Following DeSantis among the other Republican candidates are:
- Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (3.33%)
- Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. (2.50%)
- Former Vice President Mike Pence (2.27%)
- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (1.82%)
- Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (1.43%)
- Broadcaster Tucker Carlson (1.11%)
- Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (0.77%)
DeSantis led Trump as recently as Jan. 18, when the governor was ahead 40.32% to 34.72%. By April, the former president had doubled up on DeSantis among Smarkets bettors.
DeSantis and his supporters have been enduring a tough stretch in recent weeks.
Pro-DeSantis' Never Back Down super PAC spokesman Steve Cortes said during a Twitter Spaces broadcast Sunday the Florida governor's 2024 GOP primary campaign is "way behind" Trump.
"We are way behind [in national polling]," Cortes, a former Trump team member who switched over to the DeSantis camp, said during the broadcast. "It's an uphill battle. I don't think it is an unwinnable battle by any stretch, but clearly Donald Trump is the runaway front-runner."
New Echelon Insights poll results showed entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has surpassed Pence in the GOP presidential primary race and is catching up to DeSantis.
DeSantis (16%) is just 6 points ahead of Ramaswamy (10%). Next up was Pence and Haley, both tied at 5%.
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