There is great news for the Republican Party, just not for Donald Trump. Check out this poll from USA Today:

Among Republicans:
31% support Donald Trump's 2024 Presidential Bid
61% prefer some other Republican nominee who would continue the policies Trump has pursued

In other words, 92% of Republicans are in general agreement that Trump's policies should be pursued! With or without Trump, this is INCREDIBLE! For over a decade, Republicans have been divided (often bitterly) between the Christian right, national security hawks, and libertarians. Whatever you think of Donald Trump as a person, he has advanced an agenda that (at least in 2022) has united the Republican Party on policy.

USA Today seems to think the big headline from this is that, by a 2-to-1 ratio, Republicans prefer a different candidate to move the agenda Trump pursued forward. That's not actually big or great news. It's somewhat expected.

On December 13, 2015 and February 8, 2016 (just days after the Iowa caucuses), Donald Trump had only 29% support from Republicans nationally. After failing to successfully contest the 2020 elections, getting busted with classified documents, and royally screwing up the 2022 mid-term elections; it's somewhat remarkable that Trump is at 31% and not lower. His enduring popularity is likely due to his proven track record on policy and his fierce combativeness in defending himself, his policies, and his nominees.

For too long, Republicans lacked that fierceness. In fact, they've lacked any fierceness; which is why Senator Mitch McConnell (who personifies that weakness) is so widely despised by the GOP faithful. If Ron DeSantis has that fire in his belly; he's the obvious candidate for the GOP in 2024. In a hypothetical head-to-head, Biden leads Trump by +7 (47%-40%). Meanwhile, Governor Ron DeSantis leads Biden by +4 (47%-43%).

Based on Real Clear Politics polling from November 20, 2022 and earlier; the Republican Party has largely rallied behind three candidates: Trump, DeSantis, and former Vice President Mike Pence (another great candidate, but likely too divisive for Trumpians to vote for him in the general). If DeSantis can prove himself on the campaign trail in Iowa and beyond while fending off other less-popular (as of today) candidates, he should be able to beat Trump. However, Republican Primaries tend to be demolition derbies and fending off attacks from Trump is enough without a dozen or more candidates trying to grab at your shoe laces to trip you up. It's going to be an uphill battle for anyone not named Trump to win this nomination.