Sixty-five percent of likely South Carolina GOP primary voters say they support former President Donald Trump as the Republican party’s presidential candidate, according to the latest Winthrop Poll, released Wednesday.
That amounts to a 36-point lead over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley overall, in a race in which Trump has garnered the endorsement of every major Republican figure in the state, except for U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-5th).
Norman’s office says the congressman is “still firmly behind Haley.”
Fewer registered Republicans share that sentiment than three months ago. The poll found that support for Haley among registered Republicans dropped from 71% to 56%.
Among GOP voters only, Trump maintains a stronghold at 72%.
There is nuance under all of this, however. According to the poll, among independents who are likely to vote in the presidential primary this month, the numbers are almost identical — 42.3% support Haley while 42.6% support Trump.
"Her hope in narrowing the gap comes in getting those on-the-fence independents, who if they can be convinced to show up would support her over Donald Trump," says Scott Huffmon, director of the Winthrop poll.
In a match-up between President Joe Biden and Trump, half of voters polled said they would vote for Trump, while 35% would vote for Biden.
In a match-up between Biden and Haley, 47% would vote for Haley and 29% would vote for Biden.
Huffmon says that if Trump were not in the race, more voters simply might feel more comfortable sitting out the 2024 presidential election.
"Haley seems to do better as far as the gap of victory against Biden and Trump," he says. "But folks are less certain that they would be voting at all." "
