Haley pulls ahead of DeSantis, viewed more favorable than Trump among SC voters in new poll

Despite a host of criminal charges, Donald Trump remains South Carolina voters’ top pick to become the 2024 Republican candidate for president according to the latest Winthrop Poll.

Half of SC Republicans say they’re most likely to support Trump for the Republican nomination. Former SC Governor Nikki Haley, though now leading Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, trails Trump in her home state with 17% of Republicans saying they support her nomination.

“South Carolinians know how hard Nikki fought for taxpayers and jobs, and how she took on the establishment and won when she was governor. She takes nothing for granted but is confident she’ll do very well in South Carolina," said Ken Farnaso, spokesman for the Haley campaign.

While Haley is viewed as more favorable than Trump among all SC voters, including independents, Trump remains more favorable among Republican voters.

“We continue to see Trump’s dominance for the nomination in South Carolina. While a distant second, support for Nikki Haley has grown. Haley’s rise coincides with the continued slide of Ron DeSantis with his drop in national polls being mirrored in South Carolina," Winthrop poll director Scott Huffmon said.

Tim Scott remains in the single digits along with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.

Full results and methodology of the Winthrop Poll are here.

Exclusive: Nikki Haley surges past DeSantis in New Hampshire as Trump maintains lead

Results of 2020 presidential election, Biden approval ratings

More SC voters disapprove than approve of the way Joe Biden is handling his job. When asked about Biden, about 30% approve. His national approval rating is 40%.

Half of South Carolina voters believe the 2020 election between Biden and Trump was fair and accurate.

“Donald Trump’s claims of a rigged 2020 election have been taken to heart by more than 6 out of 10 South Carolina Republicans. The ‘stolen election’ narrative has been a key component of Trump’s 2024 run," Huffmon said.

• 47% of SC voters approve of the way Gov. Henry McMaster is handling his job. Among the Republican Party, approval remains strong at 73% compared to 25% among Democrats.

• Half of SC voters disapprove of the way U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is handling his job. Within his party, approval sits at just under half, with 20% not having a firm opinion.

• U.S. Sen. Tim Scott remains more popular than his senior counterpart with a 49% approval from all respondents and 72% among Republicans.

SC voters split on war in Ukraine

Closing in on two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, SC voters were asked what they think the U.S. should do regarding the continuing conflict.

When given two possible options, 1 in 5 SC voters are unsure. Forty-one percent support Ukraine in reclaiming territory Russia has captured even if it results in a more prolonged conflict, while 34% want the U.S. to try to end the conflict as quickly as possible, even if it means allowing Russia to keep territory it has captured from Ukraine.

More Republicans favor ending the conflict as soon as possible and more Democrats prefer the U.S. support Ukraine in reclaiming territory even if it prolongs the conflict.

What to do with Confederate monuments in SC

SC voters largely prefer either leaving Confederate monuments just as they are (34%) or leaving them but adding a plaque or marker for historical interpretation (33%). Forty percent of white respondents said to leave them just as they are compared to 17% of Black respondents. Black respondents more often prefer these monuments and memorials be moved to a museum.

SC voters are split on whether the Confederate battle flag is more a symbol of racial conflict or of Southern pride. Close to half of white respondents said the flag is more a symbol of southern pride while over half of Black respondents said it is more a symbol of racial conflict.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haley trails Trump in SC but overtakes DeSantis in new Winthrop Poll