Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ support in New Hampshire has declined, while some of his Republican rivals have seen their numbers increase and surpass him in the key early-voting state, according to a new poll.

A CNN/University of New Hampshire poll published Wednesday found that DeSantis has around 10% of the Granite State’s likely GOP primary voters, a 13-point drop since July. Meanwhile, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s support has ticked up to 13%, an 8-point increase since July, passing DeSantis. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have also risen past DeSantis with 12% and 11%, respectively.

Other candidates who have seen their support increase include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (6%), former Vice President Mike Pence (2%), North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (2%), former Rep. Will Hurd (Texas) (2%), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (2%), and conservative radio host Larry Elder (2%).

Despite some of the candidates’ rise in numbers, former President Donald Trump continues to maintain a strong lead, with 39% of the likely GOP primary vote.

DeSantis, who was once considered to be Trump’s main competitor, has struggled to catch up to the former president in recent weeks. A CNN poll published earlier this month showed Trump’s national lead over DeSantis widened to 34 points.

It is unclear why DeSantis’ support in New Hampshire has declined. However, some possible explanations include:

  • Trump’s continued popularity among Republican voters.
  • DeSantis’ focus on national issues, such as culture wars and education, rather than on local issues that are more important to New Hampshire voters.
  • Negative coverage of DeSantis in the New Hampshire media.
  • The rise of other Republican candidates, such as Ramaswamy, Haley, and Christie.

It is still early in the 2024 presidential race, and DeSantis could still rebound in New Hampshire and other states. However, his recent decline in support is a sign that he will not have an easy time defeating Trump for the Republican nomination.