According to a survey conducted by Winthrop University, in a hypothetical Republican presidential primary race in South Carolina, former President Donald Trump is leading by 21 points.
In the survey, self-identified Republicans in South Carolina were asked to select their preferred candidate from a group that included Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Chris Sununu, Asa Hutchinson, Mike Pompeo, and Glenn Youngkin.
In that crowded field, Donald Trump is leading with 42% support, giving him a 21-point lead. Following him is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has 20% support, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who announced her presidential bid in February, is close behind with 18% support.
None of the other potential candidates received double-digit support, and there has been much speculation regarding the political future of Senator Tim Scott. He has recently made visits to key states across the country and announced his 2024 White House exploratory committee this week.
However, this survey indicates that Senator Tim Scott only received seven percent support, and former Vice President Mike Pence was trailing behind with five percent support.
Here’s what Winthrop Poll Director Dr. Scott Huffmon said of the survey’s findings:
“Trump is riding high and doubling support over the next candidate in the field.”
“Haley shows more than quadruple her support compared to national polls, but that should be expected on her home turf,” he continued.
“Haley and DeSantis are in a statistical dead heat in what could be a firewall for Haley when voting rolls around,” he added.
485 South Carolina Republicans were surveyed, and the results have a margin of error of +/- 4.45.
