Raleigh, N.C. – It is a tale of two Sanfords in South Carolina, as former First Lady Jenny Sanford is the most popular public figure PPP has measured in the state. Her ex-husband, Governor Mark Sanford, has a job approval rating even worse than the 36-51 measured the last time PPP polled the state, in December 2009, before the couple’s divorce.
Jenny Sanford has a personal favorability figure of 61-16. Inversely to what PPP found with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bipartisan unpopularity in California, Sanford is equally popular with Democrats and Republicans, and is actually slightly more popular with Barack Obama voters than John McCain voters. Her popularity decreases rightward along the ideological spectrum; the opposite is true for her ex.
Public opinion on how Governor Sanford is handling his job has sunk to 33-56, with the greatest change since December coming among liberals (-34), moderates, Democrats, and Obama voters (each -17), African Americans (-15), independents (-14), and women (-12). He has actually gone up 6 points on the margin among conservatives.
Despite his transgressions from traditional family values in his personal life, Mark Sanford holds his base when it comes to opinion on his public duties, and that is about the only thing keeping his numbers from being as bad as Schwarzenegger’s. He gets approval ratings of 53-35 among Republicans, 51-37 from conservatives, and 53-34 from McCain voters. But among Obama voters (8-85), liberals (5-85), moderates (20-70), women (28-60), men (38-52), Democrats (10-82), independents (30-57), whites (39-49), African Americans (11-79), and voters of every age group, Sanford is in the tank.
“If Jenny Sanford ran for office right now, she’d probably win in a landslide,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Admiration and sympathy for her cuts across party lines. Mark Sanford, meanwhile, cannot get any lower with anyone but the most ardent Republicans and conservatives.”
PPP surveyed 1,255 South Carolina voters, with a margin of error of +/-2.8%, 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 Governor
Mark Sanford’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 33%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 56%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 11%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Jenny Sanford?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 61%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 16%
Not Sure…………………………………………………. 24%
Q3 Who did you vote for President last year?
John McCain…………………………………………… 52%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 43%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 5%
Q4 Would you describe yourself as a liberal,
moderate, or conservative?
Liberal ……………………………………………………. 12%
Moderate………………………………………………… 40%
Conservative…………………………………………… 48%
Q5 If you are a woman, press 1, if a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q6 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If you are a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 35%
Republican……………………………………………… 43%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 21%
Q7 If you are white, press one now. If you are
African-American, press two now. If other,
press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 74%
African-American …………………………………….. 23%
Other……………………………………………………… 3%
Q8 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1 now. If
you are 30 to 45, press 2. If you are 46 to 65,
press 3. If older, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 9%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 22%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 47%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 22%
