Ron DeSantis drops to fourth place in new South Carolina poll: Florida Governor falls behind Nikki Haley and Tim Scott in their home state as he kicks off push for the evangelical vote

Ron DeSantis dropped to fourth place in a new South Carolina poll as his campaign prepares to make a big push for evangelical voters.

The Florida governor trailed Donald Trump and home state favorites former Gov. Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott.

It's a shocking drop for DeSantis, who had been running second behind the former president. 

The new Monmouth University/Washington Post poll found Donald Trump with a two-to-one lead, 46% of Republican primary voters would vote for the former president. The next closest is Haley with 18%, followed by 10% for Scott and 9% for DeSantis.

Haley's support in her homestate is triple what it is in national polls even as she comes off a strong showing in the first GOP debate and other polls showed Republicans think she can beat President Joe Biden.

South Carolina holds the third primary contest on the road to the Republican presidential nomination. It will take place on Feb. 24, 2024.

The state can make or break a presidential campaign. In 2016, Trump solidified his grip on the nomination by winning the South Carolina primary after losing in Iowa and winning in New Hampshire. 

DeSantis has campaigned hard in the state, sending wife Casey to stand in for him when he couldn't make a big GOP event there due to Hurricane Idalia hitting Florida. 

He entered the Republican presidential primary with high expectations that have failed to translate into hard voter support. 

But he's launching a new initiative on Thursday to court the Republican base. His focus is on evangelical voters, who make up strong percentages of the base in South Carolina and Iowa.

DeSantis announced a Faith and Family Coalition that will push the idea of 'God over government.' His campaign said that DeSantis, as president, will 'defend religious freedom, allow people of faith to flourish, and advance the culture of life.'

Ron DeSantis dropped to fourth place in a new South Carolina poll as his campaign

Donald Trump leads two-to-one in a new poll of South Carolina voters; Nikki Haley came in second

Sen. Tim Scott walks by Casey DeSantis at a Faith & Freedom BBQ in South Carolina last month

He has competition for the faithful - both Tim Scott and former vice president Mike Pence are courting the evangelical voting bloc. 

About 35% of Americans identify as evangelical, of which 56% call themselves Republican, according to the Pew Research Center. 

DeSantis, who was raised Catholic, has begun to emphasize his faith as he campaigns for president.

'Our household is a Christ-centered household,' DeSantis told Christian Broadcast Network's David Brody earlier this year.

He noted that for Christmas last year, his son Mason, who was 4 at the time, asked for a slingshot so he could be like King David.

But the Florida governor doesn't talk as much about his faith as Scott and Pence do about theirs. Both men have long made it a part of their identities.