Polls

Colbert tops SC voters’ Senate appointment wish list

| Tom Jensen


Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
Nikki Haley is
one of the most unpopular Governors in the country. Only 42% of voters approve
of the job she’s doing to 49% who disapprove. Out of 43 sitting Governors PPP
has polled on, that ranks her 35th in popularity. Haley has pretty solid
numbers within her own party. 70% of Republicans approve of the job she’s doing
to 22% who disapprove. But with Democrats (15/78 approval) and independents
(28/57) her numbers are pretty woeful.

There is a path back to popularity for Haley though: appointing Stephen
Colbert to replace Jim DeMint in the Senate. Colbert tops the wish list of who
South Carolina voters would like to see join that body at 20%, followed by Tim
Scott at 15%, Trey Gowdy at 14%, Jenny Sanford at 11%, Henry McMaster and Mark
Sanford at 8%, Jeff Duncan and Joe Wilson at 5%, and Mick Mulvaney at 4%.

It’s Democrats and independents- those voters Haley most needs to improve
her standing with- who are pining for a Colbert appointment. Among Democrats
32% say they’d like Colbert to be picked with Jenny Sanford at 19% and no one
else in double digits. With crucial independent voters Colbert has a 15 point
lead for the appointment, getting 28% to 13% for Tim Scott, 12% for Jenny
Sanford, and 10% for Trey Gowdy with no one else in double digits.

If Colbert’s lacking knowledge of the state beverage keeps him from Haley’s
consideration, voters say their top choice is Jenny Sanford at 17%, followed by
Tim Scott at 16%, Henry McMaster at 13%, and Trey Gowdy at 12%.  If you further filter the field and take the
Sanfords out of the potential appointment list three men really stand out from
the field: Tim Scott at 19%, Henry McMaster at 17%, and Trey Gowdy at 15%. The
other three Congressmen we tested end up well back- Joe Wilson at 8%, Mick
Mulvaney at 7%, and Jeff Duncan at 6%.

“Nikki Haley could score some points with the Democrats and independent
voters she’s struggling with by appointing Stephen Colbert to the US Senate,”
said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “But if she goes down a
more traditional path voters’ top choice is Tim Scott.”

PPP surveyed 520 South Carolina voters from December
7th to 9th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.3%.  This poll was not paid for or authorized by
any campaign or political organization.

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

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Jim
DeMint’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .49%
Disapprove…………. .40%
Not sure …………….. .11%

Q2 Do you think Jim DeMint’s decision to resign
his Senate seat in the middle of his term is
appropriate or inappropriate?
Appropriate ………… .43%
Inappropriate………. .43%
Not sure …………….. .14%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Stephen Colbert?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 38%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tom Davis?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 11%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 23%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 66%

Q5 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jeff Duncan?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 15%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 66%

Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Trey Gowdy?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 26%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 20%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 54%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Henry McMaster?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 32%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 43%

Q8 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mick Mulvaney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 17%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 58%

Q9 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jenny Sanford?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 44%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 31%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mark Sanford?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Tim Scott?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 24%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 43%

Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Joe Wilson?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 32%

Q13 Given the choices of Stephen Colbert, Jeff
Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Henry McMaster, Mick
Mulvaney, Jenny Sanford, Mark Sanford, Tim
Scott, and Joe Wilson, who would you most
like to see Nikki Haley appoint to replace Jim
DeMint?
Stephen Colbert………………………………………. 20%
Jeff Duncan…………………………………………….. 5%
Trey Gowdy…………………………………………….. 14%
Henry McMaster ……………………………………… 8%
Mick Mulvaney ………………………………………… 4%
Jenny Sanford…………………………………………. 11%
Mark Sanford ………………………………………….. 8%
Tim Scott………………………………………………… 15%
Joe Wilson ……………………………………………… 5%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 11%

Q14 If Stephen Colbert was not an option for the
vacant Senate seat, who would you support,
given the choices of Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy,
Henry McMaster, Mick Mulvaney, Jenny
Sanford, Mark Sanford, Tim Scott, and Joe
Wilson?
Jeff Duncan…………………………………………….. 6%
Trey Gowdy…………………………………………….. 12%
Henry McMaster ……………………………………… 13%
Mick Mulvaney ………………………………………… 5%
Jenny Sanford…………………………………………. 17%
Mark Sanford ………………………………………….. 9%
Tim Scott………………………………………………… 16%
Joe Wilson ……………………………………………… 7%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 14%

Q15 If Mark and Jenny Sanford also were not
options for the vacant Senate seat, who would
you support out of the remaining options?
Jeff Duncan…………………………………………….. 6%
Trey Gowdy…………………………………………….. 15%
Henry McMaster ……………………………………… 17%
Mick Mulvaney ………………………………………… 7%
Tim Scott………………………………………………… 19%
Joe Wilson ……………………………………………… 8%
Someone else/Not sure ……………………………. 28%

Q16 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Nikki Haley’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .42%
Disapprove…………. .49%
Not sure …………….. .10%

Q17 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 40%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 52%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 7%

Q18 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 13%
Moderate………………………………………………… 24%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 28%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 26%

Q19 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%

Q20 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 ……………………………………………….. 31%
Republican……………………………………………… 42%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 26%

Q21 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 72%
African-American …………………………………….. 20%
Other……………………………………………………… 8%

Q22 If you are 18 to 45 years old, press 1. If 46 to
65, press 2. If you are older than 65, press 3.
18 to 45………………………………………………….. 38%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%

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