Raleigh, N.C. – Republican primary voters are upset with the state of their party, giving little-known, little-financed candidates with right-wing platforms and Tea Party appeals more support than expected. Senior South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham should be thankful he is not up for re-election in this environment. More of his base disapproves of how he is handling his job than approves, and a majority of them think he is too liberal and say they would support a more conservative opponent in 2012.
40% of likely 2010 GOP primary voters approve of how Graham is serving them in the Senate, with 45% giving a thumbs-down. That compares to the 67-15 mark his junior colleague, Jim DeMint, gets among all Republicans; DeMint has been vocal about his conservatism, while Graham is known for bipartisanship. Graham gets a 56-27 grade from moderate primary voters, but a 35-51 from the 74%-majority conservatives. Sensing the shifting winds, however, Graham recently pulled his co-sponsorship of an energy independence bill with Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
53% of the Republican primary electorate says Graham is too liberal, with 41% thinking his views about right and only 6% believing him too conservative. Naturally, 64% of conservatives think he is too liberal. Even 19% of moderates think that, to 12% who think he is too conservative and 69% who think he is about right.
In 2012, 57% of this year’s likely primary voters pledge to vote for an unnamed primary challenger who is to Graham’s right, with 32% planning to vote to re-elect him. Among conservatives, the disparity is 68-23 against Graham getting another term, while moderates are in his favor, 57-24.
“It’s a good thing for Lindsey Graham that he’s not up for election again until 2014,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “This is not a good climate for Republicans who have attempted to be bipartisan to be running in.”
PPP surveyed 638 likely South Carolina Republican primary voters, with a margin of error of +/-3.9%, from May 22nd to 23rd. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.
If you would like an interview regarding this release, please contact Dean Debnam at (888) 621-6988 or 919-880-4888.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Lindsey Graham’s job performance?
Approve ……………… 40%
Disapprove………….. 45%
Not Sure……………… 14%
Q2 Do you think that Lindsey Graham is too liberal,
too conservative, or about right?
Too Liberal……………………………………………… 53%
Too Conservative…………………………………….. 6%
About Right …………………………………………….. 41%
Q3 The next time Lindsey Graham is up for
reelection will you support him, or would you
support a more conservative alternative?
Will support Graham………………………………… 32%
Will support a more conservative alternative .. 57%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q4 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 3%
Moderate………………………………………………… 23%
Conservative…………………………………………… 74%
Q5 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 48%
Man……………………………………………………….. 52%
