COLUMBIA, S.C. – Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley continues to path former President Donald Trump by a large margin in her residence state of South Carolina forward of the state’s GOP presidential main later this month, in accordance with a brand new survey.
Trump, who received South Carolina’s first-in-the-South 2016 Republican presidential main and who carried the Palmetto State in each the 2016 and 2020 normal elections, holds a commanding 26-point lead over Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, in accordance with the findings of a Monmouth University-Washington Post poll launched Thursday.
Of the potential Republican main voters who have been surveyed, 58% mentioned they at the moment assist Trump, in comparison with 32% who mentioned the identical for Haley.
Ever for the reason that presidential contest turned a two-person race, each Trump and Haley have witnessed an uptick in assist. An analogous Monmouth College ballot launched in September confirmed Trump with 46% assist and Haley with 18% assist amongst South Carolina Republicans.
BIDEN TOPS TRUMP IN NEW POLL, BUT LEAD SHRINKS AGAINST THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES
Fifty-eight p.c of Republican main voters who have been surveyed in a Monmouth College-Washington Publish ballot mentioned they assist former President Donald Trump, in comparison with 32% who mentioned the identical for former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. (Getty Photographs)
In all age teams, the survey revealed that Trump leads Haley with a majority of assist amongst each women and men.
Those that have been surveyed additionally consider Trump has a larger likelihood of defeating President Biden in November. Forty-two p.c mentioned they consider Trump may undoubtedly beat Biden within the normal election, whereas 29% mentioned he in all probability may. Solely 21% of South Carolina Republicans mentioned Haley may undoubtedly beat Biden, with one other 42% saying she in all probability may.
Trump’s authorized woes are additionally not a priority amongst Republicans within the state, with 60% saying they consider the Republican Occasion ought to maintain Trump on the ticket if he wins the nomination however is convicted of against the law associated to the 2020 election. Equally, 62% mentioned they’d nonetheless solid a normal election poll for Trump in that state of affairs, whereas solely 17% mentioned they’d vote for Biden.
Trump made historical past final 12 months as the primary former or present president to be indicted for against the law, however his 4 indictments, together with costs he tried to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, have solely fueled his assist amongst Republican voters.
Haley, pointing to the previous president’s authorized troubles and the general “chaos” that she says surrounds him, has repeatedly mentioned that she could be a stronger normal election candidate for the GOP to tackle Biden.
“Trump’s electability is a priority for some main voters. It’s simply that this group is nowhere close to massive sufficient to place Haley in putting distance of the front-runner,” Patrick Murray, director of the unbiased Monmouth College Polling Institute, mentioned in an announcement.
HALEY EXPECTS TO HAUL IN $1.5 MILLION AT WALL STREET FUNDRAISERS TO FUEL GOP PRESIDENTIAL BID AGAINST TRUMP
Former President Donald Trump gestures to the gang at a marketing campaign occasion in Pickens, South Carolina, on July 1, 2023. (Sean Rayford/Getty Photographs)
The ballot additionally confirmed Trump, who received each the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire Republican main elections by double digits, with larger assist from South Carolina voters on quite a few points, together with the financial system and international coverage.
Moreover, Trump holds a slight benefit, 35% to 26%, over Haley on the subject of being trusted to deal with abortion coverage. Thirty-three p.c mentioned they belief each candidates equally on the difficulty.
The brand new ballot, performed Jan. 26-30, is the primary public opinion survey on the state’s GOP main in almost a month. And its topline quantity follows two non-public polls performed over the previous week that additionally indicated Trump with a formidable double-digit lead.
Haley has mentioned a few occasions in latest days that she would not have to win her residence state’s GOP main, however simply enhance on her 43% exhibiting in New Hampshire.
And he or she stays optimistic.
“We had 1,500 folks in Greenville, 1,000 folks in Charleston, 800 in Conway. We’re having massive crowds. Now we’re working it. I’ve acquired a 76% approval ranking there. They know I used to be governor. Now we’re going to point out them I’m going to be president,” Haley mentioned in a “FOX and Pals” interview on Tuesday.
Haley has additionally loved a surge in small-dollar and massive donor fundraising within the week for the reason that New Hampshire main.
And earlier this week, Fox Information confirmed that Betsy Ankey, Haley’s marketing campaign supervisor, made the case for the previous governor’s candidacy to a community of Republican mega-donors often known as the American Alternative Alliance.
Susie Wiles, a prime adviser on the Trump marketing campaign, additionally attended the occasion in an try to woo donors. Trump, who has had a stormy relationship over time with some within the GOP donor class, has been making a concerted effort this cycle to fix fences and court docket top-dollar contributors.
Nikki Haley hosts a rally in Conway, South Carolina, on Sunday, as a part of her swing within the Palmetto State main as much as the state’s main. (Peter Zay/Anadolu through Getty Photographs)
“I believe they’re operating a way more refined marketing campaign this 12 months than ever earlier than,” a serious GOP bundler, who requested to stay nameless, informed Fox Information lately. “And so, as a part of that, they’re seeking to consolidate Republican assist, each politically and financially.”
The South Carolina Republican presidential main election is slated to happen on Feb. 24.
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