Trump would easily win 2024 Republican primary, poll shows

Mike Pence came in second with 12 per cent of respondents supporting him for a future run

New polling data suggests that Donald Trump would easily win the support of Republican voters if the primary was held this year.

A Politico-Morning Consult poll released on Tuesday showed that 59 per cent of Republican respondents want Mr Trump to continue playing a prominent role in the party, and 54 per cent said they would back Mr Trump in the primaries.

Mr Trump's popularity among Republicans dipped following the Capitol insurrection, but shot back up in the wake of his impeachment acquittal.

Despite the swell of support, Mr Trump has also managed to drive tens of thousands of Republicans away from the party.

Last week, more than 120 prominent Republican lawmakers and leaders met to discuss forming a centre-right third party to counter Mr Trump.

The former president dodged conviction at his impeachment, which means he will not be barred from seeking public office again in 2024.

However, Mr Trump will also be 78 years old by election day 2024, and while many Republicans love him, a CNBC poll showed that half of Americans loathe him.

A few other notable Republican names appeared far behind Mr Trump in the poll.

Former Vice President Mike Pence was second in the poll, with 12 per cent of respondents saying they would back him if the primary were today.

Mr Pence became the enemy of Mr Trump's supporters on the day of the Capitol insurrection because he did not overstep his bounds and attempt to derail the electoral college count.

Donald Trump Jr and former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley tied for third place with 6 per cent. The duo represent opposite sides of the fractured party.

While Mr Trump's son has echoed his calls for inter-party war against so-called "Republicans in Name Only," Ms Haley condemned Mr Trump shortly after the Capitol attack.

"We need to acknowledge he let us down," she told Politico. "He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followed him, and we shouldn't have listened to him. And we can't let that ever happen again."

Despite the former president's popularity, Ms Haley was confident he was "not going to run for federal office again."