A new 2024 poll from South Carolina’s Winthrop University is getting attention on Wednesday because it shows that there is a real race for second place in the state between popular former Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
As with most state polls of the early primary and caucus states, former President Donald Trump dominates.
NIKKI HALEY, RON DESANTIS TIED FOR 2ND IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Considered good news for Haley, the survey delivers some bad news for the latest Republican to announce plans to challenge Trump: South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
Scott announced his exploratory committee Wednesday, but the poll shows that even in his home state, voters have a ho-hum view of the senator considered influential in Washington.
Winthrop, based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, southwest of Charlotte, found that in a primary Wednesday, Scott would come in fourth with just 7%, following Trump at 41%, DeSantis at 20%, and Haley at 18%.
The Washington Examiner’s Ryan King chewed over the significance of the tight DeSantis-Haley fight here.
2024 South Carolina Republican Primary
• Trump — 41%
• DeSantis — 20%
• Haley — 18%
• T. Scott — 7%
• Pence — 5%
• Pompeo — 2%
• Sununu — 1%Winthrop University | 485 RV | E: ±4.5%https://t.co/B66s8I2psY
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) April 12, 2023
But the poll came at an awkward time for Scott, who surely hoped for a better reception at home.
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The analysis said that he’s pretty popular but that he hasn’t made an impact like Haley or fellow Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Said the analysis, “Tim Scott remains more popular than not in the state, but a greater percentage of South Carolinians have no opinion about how he is handling his job as compared to his South Carolina colleague in the U.S. Senate. Forty-seven percent approve, 25% disapprove, and 28% are not sure or prefer not to answer. Among Republicans, Scott’s approval remains high and disapproval low. Among Democrats, opinions are much more evenly split.”
