Donald Trump enjoys a substantial 26-point lead in South Carolina over Nikki Haley just weeks before the state’s critical Feb. 24 primary, according to the findings of a recent Washington Post-Monmouth University poll, disclosed on Thursday.
The former president commands significant support, securing 58 percent of the backing from potential Republican primary voters, while Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, trails behind with 32 percent in her home state.
This latest poll emerges as Trump actively endeavors to thwart Haley’s presidential ambitions, following his recent victories in Iowa and New Hampshire. Despite Haley’s persistent efforts, she struggles to make significant headway in South Carolina, consistently lagging behind Trump by 30 points in various polls.
Trump Holding 26-Point Lead Over Haley (Credits: The Washington Post)
While Haley has committed to remaining in the Republican presidential race through Super Tuesday, her long-term plans regarding the party’s nominating convention in July remain uncertain.
The poll reveals that Trump commands a majority of support among both men, with 62 percent, and women, with 54 percent, in South Carolina. Additionally, Trump enjoys robust backing from white evangelicals, with 69 percent support, and voters without a college degree, with 68 percent support.
Furthermore, the survey indicates that seven in 10 voters believe Trump would likely or definitely emerge victorious against President Joe Biden in the November election.
Interestingly, Trump’s ongoing legal issues do not appear to be a significant concern among South Carolina’s Republican primary voters. Sixty percent of respondents express the opinion that the GOP should maintain Trump on the ticket even if he secures the nomination but faces conviction for a crime related to the 2020 election.
Conducted between January 26 and 30, the Post-Monmouth poll gathered insights from a random sample of 815 potential GOP primary voters in South Carolina. The margin of sampling error stands at plus or minus 3.9 percentage points for the full sample of potential Republican primary voters.
