New Florida Poll Shows DeSantis Approval Tanking

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos

The net approval of Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis has fallen 14 points in a little less than two months, according to a Morning Consult poll released this week.

DeSantis' approval rating in a survey taken June 22 - July 1 registered at 54 percent, with 40 percent disapproving of his performance. But in the outlet's Aug. 21 - 30 poll, the Florida governor's approval had leveled off considerably, 48 percent to 48 percent.

Apparently, it isn't proving broadly popular for DeSantis to cater to the "individual liberties" crowd while treating the rest of his constituents like collateral damage on his way to winning the 2024 GOP nomination.

The fallout has largely come from independents, where DeSantis suffered a double-digit slip, falling from 50 percent to 40 percent approval in the roughly two-month window. He's now 11 points underwater with independents, 40 percent -- 51 percent.

DeSantis also slipped a few points with Democrats (from 24 percent to 21 percent approval) and with Republicans (from 87 percent to 83 percent approval). Still, a little over four in five Republican voters in the Sunshine State think DeSantis is doing just swell.

Don't expect DeSantis to go changin', though. On Friday, he was back in court to appeal a ruling that undercut his statewide ban on in-school mask mandates. At least 13 of the the state's 67 school districts have implemented masking requirements because children are dying and universal masking is the best way to keep students safe, especially those who aren't eligible to get vaccinated.

DeSantis also offered up some gems Friday on vaccines and public health. Asked about vaccine passport penalties, DeSantis said vaccines are only a personal choice, not a matter of public health.

"It's about your health and whether you want that protection or not, it really doesn't impact me or anyone else," he said. "My philosophy is, as a governor, my job is to protect your individual freedom. My job is not to protect corporate freedom. That is not what I'm here for."