The 2024 presidential election cycle is already garnering attention from some of the biggest names in politics.

According to the Washington Examiner, former President Donald Trump, one of only two Republicans who have declared their intentions to run in 2024, might be playing a different ballgame this time around, if polls still mean anything.

While it's certainly very early in the process, emerging polls are everywhere. One survey, in particular, revealed what could be bad news for the former president.

With strong indicators that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis could soon jump into the race, pundits and pollsters will undoubtedly focus on the two powerhouse Republicans to see who has the best shot at the GOP nomination.

The numbers

While Trump is usually the clear-cut favorite in virtually any hypothetical matchup against his GOP opponents, including DeSantis, there are other survey questions that could be a cause for concern for Trump's campaign.

The Examiner noted:

A recent survey of GOP county chairs across the country shows trouble ahead for Trump, who has dominated grassroots support in the party for much of the last decade. Of the 187 local GOP leaders who responded to the survey by Politico, Trump was edged out or crushed in multiple scenarios — an early indication his path to a third straight nomination could be in danger.

Some 3000 surveys were sent to all county GOP leaders across the country, and the results, at the very least, reveal that the Republican Party could be in for one heck of a ride over the next year and half.

One of the questions asked the GOP county leaders if they were prepared to formally back a candidate at this point. Many indicated that it's far too early, but the results for the committed ones might surprise some folks.

Nineteen percent of respondents said they'd back DeSantis, while 17% of respondents said they'd back Trump.

Such results are far from meaningful at this stage of the game, but if the trend continues in DeSantis' favor over the coming months, it could mean new challenges for the Trump 2024 campaign team.

Iowa first

DeSantis just returned from a book tour that conveniently took him through a number of early-voting states, like Iowa, where he gave several speeches and appeared to many as very presidential in nature.

Trump, beginning Monday, will also make a stop in Iowa, where he'll tout his America First education policy.

Tomorrow Trump in Iowa 6:15 P.M! TRUMP 2024! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

IOWA, GET READY TO PARTY!! pic.twitter.com/H0D9Qljxm2

— Zeke_gary2 (@ZekeGary2) March 12, 2023

Only time will tell if DeSantis can maintain such strong momentum, and if he even decides to run in 2024. Either way, Trump will undoubtedly spend most of the next few months doing what he can to bump those numbers back up in his favor.