A new South Carolina Republican primary poll shows former President Donald Trump maintaining his grasp on the state while former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley demonstrates upward momentum.
The CNN poll conducted by SSRS revealed Tuesday that Trump still reigns supreme in the Palmetto State, with 53% support among likely Republican primary voters. Most other candidates failed to show promise, with the exception of Haley, who posted 22% in her home state, an increase from previous measures.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who also hails from the state, received 11% and 6%, respectively.
Of the likely Republican primary voters surveyed, 61% said they were “definitely” supporting their preferred candidate. Over a third, 37%, indicated their mind could still be changed.
DeSantis is still the No. 1 second choice among respondents, with 24%, despite falling in the first choice metric. Haley and Scott are not far behind, posting 19% each. Trump is the second choice for 13%.
The survey’s results are relatively consistent with other measures in Iowa and New Hampshire, showing an upward trend for Haley but a race still dominated by Trump.
In a recently published poll of Iowa likely Republican caucusgoers, Haley managed to tie DeSantis, with both at 16%. Haley was able to catch up to the Florida governor despite his campaign recently deploying an Iowa-focused strategy that included moving a third of its staff to the state. Scott received 7%, down from 9% in August, and he also just announced an “all-in” strategy centered on Iowa.
The Iowa poll’s signature “footprint” metric, however, still puts Trump and DeSantis side by side at 67% each. The footprint is comprised of the number of people who say a candidate is their first choice or second choice and who are actively considering them.
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Haley also posted a significant footprint at 54%.
The former U.N. ambassador’s continued demonstration of an upward trajectory comes as non-Trump supporting donors and voters alike are looking for a candidate to coalesce behind. DeSantis’s and Haley’s campaigns have ramped up attacks on each other in the last two weeks as they duke it out to be the one who takes on Trump.
