A new survey suggests that Florida's Governor didn't score an outright win in his final presidential debate of 2023.
Per a poll from The Economist and YouGov, Nikki Haley was perceived as the strongest participant in the four-person debate last week in Alabama.
Haley was judged by 21% as doing the best, 3 points ahead of Ron DeSantis' 18%, with Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy at 12% and 10%, respectively.
DeSantis has been attempting to goad Haley and the Donald Trump into debates ahead of key nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire next month.
"I think if you're not willing to debate in Iowa on the eve of the caucus, that shows the voters a lot about you, and about your willingness to engage on these issues. So I want to debate. I'll be there," DeSantis told Iowa media.
"I think people in Iowa are catching on to this. Haley really represents the failed political establishment of yesteryear. ... Certainly, in a one-on-one debate, we would be able to really see that contrast very sharply. And I think it would be a contrast that would benefit me vis-à-vis Nikki Haley in terms of these Iowa caucus voters."
The polling doesn't necessarily show that the debate that just wrapped benefited DeSantis or his rivals, however, with 21% not sure who won and 24% saying "none of them" won.
The same poll shows Trump well ahead of his opponents nationally, with the former President at 61%, 50 points in front of DeSantis and 511 above of Haley.
Trump of course offered his own withering appraisal of DeSantis' debate performance recently.
"I thought Ron DeSanctimonious was terrible, with his bobble head facial movements & his walking on eggs," Trump posted Saturday to Truth Social.
The former President went on to claim that DeSantis' "weird bobbing head and fresh mouth make his high heels look good."
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