Polls

Thurmond most popular statewide figure in South Carolina

| Tom Jensen

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
South Carolinians are not particularly fond of their new Governor Nikki Haley, and they like her 2010 opponent Vincent Sheheen slightly better, but voters are still giving her the benefit of the doubt.  Unlike some of her controversial counterparts, like Florida’s Rick Scott and Ohio’s John Kasich, Haley is a rare governor of the 2010 Tea Party breed who has not turned voters off so much that they have buyers’ remorse.  Despite a slightly underwater 41-43 job approval rating, she would still defeat Sheheen, and by even a slightly larger margin than last fall.  She won 51-47, and would win in a do-over, 49-43, according to PPP’s latest poll.  Haley’s approval is down slightly from June, when PPP last polled the state; then voters were split 42-41 in her favor.  But the margin of the re-do question is the same (48-42 then).

The state’s senators, Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, remain equally as popular as three months ago, with DeMint still better-liked than Graham.  DeMint’s 47-32 approval rating is almost identical to the 47-34 measured in June.  Ditto for Graham, at 41-39 now and 40-38 then.  Unsurprisingly, Graham is slightly better liked by Democrats and seen considerably better by independents than DeMint, but the junior senator is far more palatable to Republicans (73% approval, versus 53%).

The Palmetto State still sees their late senator Strom Thurmond very well, 46% favorably and 29% unfavorably.  A third of Democrats remember him fondly and half negatively, with Republicans falling at 58-12.

Thurmond’s long-serving Democratic colleague, Fritz Hollings, is not seen as well, with a third viewing him positively and 31% negatively.  At 24-38, Republicans are not as hostile to Hollings as Democrats to Thurmond.

Mark Sanford is still persona non grata, particularly to Democrats and independents.  His overall 26-58 favorability rating is helped by a 39-42 with his own GOP.

PPP surveyed 587 South Carolina voters from August 25th to 28th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.0%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Nikki Haley’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 41%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Vincent Sheheen?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 47%

Q3 If you could do last fall’s election for Governor
over again, would you vote for Republican
Nikki Haley or Democrat Vincent Sheheen?
Nikki Haley……………………………………………… 49%
Vincent Sheheen……………………………………… 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 8%

Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Lindsey Graham’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 41%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 39%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Jim
DeMint’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 47%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Strom Thurmond?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 46%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Fritz Hollings?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 36%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jim Hodges?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 24%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 44%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of David Beasley?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 41%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Carroll Campbell?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 45%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 36%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mark Sanford?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 28%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 58%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q12 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 49%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 39%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 11%

Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 7%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 14%
Moderate………………………………………………… 27%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 26%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 26%

Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%

Q15 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 36%
Republican……………………………………………… 44%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 20%

Q16 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 72%
African-American …………………………………….. 23%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%

Q17 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 17%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 39%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 16%

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