Former Trump ally Bill Barr says DeSantis would beat ex-president in 2024 presidential primary

Polls show Florida governor competitive against former president

Former top Trump administration official Bill Barr said if had “had to bet,” he thinks Florida governor Ron DeSantis would beat Donald Trump in a potential race to be the 2024 Republican nominee for president.

"I don’t know Ron DeSantis that well, but I’ve been impressed with his record down in Florida," the former attorney general said on an episode of journalist Bari Weiss’s Honestly podcast released Thursday.

"And my view is I’m going to support whoever has the best chance of pushing Trump aside,” he added.

Mr Barr, one of the few Trump allies who publicly contradicted the former president’s false claims he won the 2020 election, tore into his old boss, arguing Mr Trump was “all about himself,” and a re-election bid would be “prescription for continued hostility within the country.”

The ex-AG said he’d back Mr Trump over a progressive Democrat, but not gladly.

"I don’t like that choice," he said. "It’s a lesser of two evils choice. We have to see more about what comes out of some of these investigations, but I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t vote for Trump, that I would sit back and be happy with a progressive Democrat winning."

The former president has no love lost for his former attorney general, labelling him a RINO, short for a Republican in name only.

"Former A.G. Bill Barr, a RINO if there ever was one, didn’t have the courage or stamina to go after voter fraud—Was afraid he was going to be impeached," Mr Trump wrote on social media in June. "NO GUTS, NO GLORY!!!"

Neither Mr Trump nor Mr DeSantis have announced plans to run again in 2024, but both men have been the subject of constant speculation about presidential ambitions next cycle.

Mr DeSantis has made national headlines in recent weeks for airing a Top Gun-inspired campaign ad in the 2022 Florida governor’s race, and echoing Trump-style rhetoric in recent days, bashing the left’s  so-called “woke” agenda and fantasizing about throwing “that little elf” Dr Anthony Fauci “across the Potomac.”

Political observers have dubbed Mr DeSantis part of a “shadow race” for the 2024 nomination against the expected incumbents, being mentioned in the same breath as California governor Gavin Newsom, who has released campaign-style ads specifically bashing Mr DeSantis in his home state.

Recent polling suggests Mr DeSantis is the only Republican who could compete with Mr Trump on a 2024 primary ballot.

One poll, out Friday, finds Mr De Santis would be more competitive in hypothetical election against Joe Biden than Mr Trump, though both men would ultimately lose to the Democrat.

Another, released earlier this week, found Mr Trump was still more popular among Republican voters than Mr DeSantis, though no longer had majority support within the GOP.