SC Republicans, Democrats agree on closing 'Charleston loophole' in latest Winthrop poll
Between parties, South Carolina Republicans and Democrats are in general agreement when it comes to supporting legislation that would require a completed background check before a buyer can take possession of a firearm.
Seventy-three percent of Republicans support this, with 18% opposing this legislation. Eighty-one percent of Democrats support, and 15% oppose.
Currently, when a person buys a firearm, the seller may choose to allow the buyer to take possession without a completed background check if the check takes longer than three days to return. This is often referred to as the “Charleston loophole” since the 2015 assault on Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
The latest Winthrop Poll revealed issues that South Carolina's Republicans and Democrats agree on and issues that divide them.
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The poll also indicated issues that residents are unsure about.
Twenty percent are unsure whether a pregnancy should undergo termination if the baby were to be born with severe medical issues. Almost a quarter of Democrats are unsure about whether or not transgender athletes should compete on the team that matches the sex they were assigned at birth.
Eighty percent of Republicans and almost half of Democrats favor policies requiring that transgender people compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender in which they identify. Almost a quarter of Democrats are unsure.
"Previous polls have shown broad support for the rights of gays and lesbians -especially the right to marry; however, the public is still clearly grappling with issues related to transgender athletes." Winthrop Poll Director Dr. Scott Huffmon said.
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More from the latest Winthrop Poll:
SC's gun control policies
A majority of the state favor requiring criminal background checks on all gun buyers, including those who purchase at gun shows and private sales. Republicans and Democrats are nearly united on this issue with 90% in agreement and 10% in opposition.
Three-quarters of South Carolinians believe firearm sales should be restricted to those who are 21 years of age and over. Strong majorities in both parties favor the higher age requirement.
SC approval ratings
When it comes to the running the country, results using all responses showed that 57% of South Carolinians disapprove of President Joe Biden's presidency, with 30% approving. 13% held no opinion. Of those with an opinion, 66% disapproved and 34% approved.
Among those who have an opinion, 54% approve of the way Gov. Henry McMaster is handling his job, with 46% disapproving.
Sen. Lindsey Graham received a 57% disapproval rating regarding how he handles his job, with 43% approval.
Now a 2024 White House hopeful, Sen. Tim Scott's approval remains higher than his senior counterpart. Of those expressing an opinion, 60% approve while 40% disapprove.
Abortion in SC
Before the recent six-week abortion ban was passed into law, which included some exceptions, 37% of South Carolinians said they support a ban on most abortions after six weeks while 43% said they oppose.
If pregnancy threatens the mother's life, 81% of South Carolinians believe she should be able to obtain a legal abortion. The percentage dropped to 75% among Republicans and increased to 90% among Democrats. Seventy-eight percent believe a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy is the result of rape. Support was lower among Republicans at 69% and higher among Democrats at 88%.
If the baby is likely to be born with severe disabilities or health problems, support for a legal abortion fell to 57%. Three-quarters of Democrats support allowing for legal abortion under this circumstance while 43% of Republicans agree. Twenty-nine percent say it should not be legal, with 26% unsure.
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SC's economy
Almost half of South Carolinians believe that the economy is worse than a year ago. Forty-four percent expressed that their personal finances were worse than a year ago, with 20% saying they were in a better situation and 33% saying they were in the same place.
Ideology
South Carolina remains a fundamentally conservative state. Self-proclaimed conservatives outnumber self-proclaimed liberals by a roughly 2 to 1 margin.
"It's no surprise that the buckle of the Bible Belt continues to be a fundamentally conservative state. We know that even if 9 in 10 African Americans tend to vote Democratic, they are also more likely than Whites to be highly religious." Huffmon said. "Religiosity tends to be a fair predictor of self-identified conservative leanings."
Nina Tran covers trending topics for the Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: SC Republicans, Democrats agree on closing Charleston loophole
