Winthrop Poll: Support in SC for Donald Trump’s 2024 run for president remains high

Support for Donald Trump’s run for president in 2024 is high among South Carolina Republican registered voters according to a Winthrop Poll released Wednesday.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are just behind the former President for second place. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina trails behind.

Approval ratings among general population: President Joe Biden with 34% approval, 54% disapproval. Gov. Henry McMaster with 45% approval, 35% disapproval. Sen. Lindsey Graham with 33% approval, 47% disapproval. Sen. Tim Scott with 47% approval, 25% disapproval.

Favorability ratings among general population: Nikki Haley remains favorable in the state with 53% expressing a favorable view. Forty-three percent of South Carolinians express a favorable view of Donald Trump. Three-fourths of Republicans see both Haley and Trump as favorable.

Opinions regarding the legalization of marijuana remain largely unchanged since the last Winthrop Poll with most South Carolinians favoring the legalization of marijuana for both medicinal and recreational purposes.

A majority of Republicans support a ban on public Drag Shows, while only 37% of the general public does.

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Most South Carolinians think same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid with the same rights as a marriage between a man and a woman.

South Carolinians were also asked about congressional redistricting, legalization of gambling on sports, monuments and memorials to Confederate soldiers who died, the Confederate battle flag, and Christianity in America.

See the full Winthrop Poll results here.

Approval ratings for Joe Biden, Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott

The majority of South Carolinians disapprove of the way President Biden is handling his job as president with 54% expressing disapproval and 34% expressing approval. This is notably below his national approval rating of 42%. Among Republicans, approval sinks to 7% while disapproval is high at 89%. Democrats differ greatly with 75% approving of the way the President is handling his job and 12% disapproving.

More South Carolinians approve of the way Henry McMaster is handling his job as governor than not with 45% approving and 35% disapproving. Republican approval of the governor sits at 72%.

Thirty-three percent of South Carolinians approve of how Lindsey Graham is doing his job while 47% disapprove. While, like Biden and McMaster, Graham has more approval coming from within his own party, opinions are more closely split.

Tim Scott remains more popular than not in the state, but a greater percentage of South Carolinians have no opinion about how he his handling his job as compared to Graham. Forty-seven percent approve, 25% disapprove, and 28% are not sure or prefer not to answer.

Congressional redistricting

When asked how much they’ve heard about the debate over how congressional district boundaries are drawn in the state, most South Carolinians have heard very little if anything at all. Republicans are more likely to report hearing only a little or nothing at all than are Democrats. Only 8% of Republicans have heard a lot about the debate while 23% of Democrats have heard as much.

The majority of Democrats think that the current congressional redistricting process in South Carolina favors Republicans. Republicans, more often than not, also think the current process more so favors their own party, that the process is impartial, or aren’t sure or prefer not to answer.

Most South Carolinians think the current congressional redistricting process does too little to see that Black South Carolinians are adequately represented. Republicans are more likely to say the process does the right amount while Democrats are more likely to coincide with the general consensus that it does too little.

2024 Republican nomination for president: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott

Support for Trump’s run for president is high among South Carolina Republicans who are registered to vote. Among nine Republicans who have either announced a 2024 presidential run or who are viewed as potential contenders, Trump is on top with 41%. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Haley are neck-and-neck with 20% and 18% respectively.

Seven percent of South Carolinians support a presidential nomination for Scott when presented the list of 9 possibilities.

Favorability ratings: Nikki Haley, Donald Trump

Overall, Haley remains favorable in the state of South Carolina. Fifty-three percent of South Carolinians stated their view of the former Governor and Ambassador to the United Nations as very or somewhat favorable. Thirty percent have a very or somewhat unfavorable view of her and 15% are on the fence. Among Republicans, 73% view Haley as favorable and only 14% have an unfavorable view. Forty percent of Democrats have a favorable opinion of her while 47% have an unfavorable view.

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When it comes to Trump, 43% of South Carolinians have a favorable view and 48% an unfavorable one. The former President remains much more favorable in his own party with almost three-quarters holding a favorable view as compared to 17% an unfavorable one. Conversely, three-quarters of Democrats express an unfavorable view of Trump while 19% view him favorably.

Legalization of marijuana and sports gambling in SC

The legalization of medical marijuana prescribed by a doctor remains popular in South Carolina. Seventy-six percent favor its legalization while 14% oppose. Republicans and Democrats generally agree on the topic.

When it comes to the recreational use of marijuana, while the two parties differ, a majority (56%) of the general population supports its legalization. Republicans are split on the issue while Democrats are in favor.

Fifty percent of South Carolinians favor a law legalizing gambling on sports in the state. Of Republicans, 44% favor such a law while 39% oppose it. Among Democrats, 58% favor while 29% stand in opposition.

Drag shows in SC

Several states across the country have proposed laws to ban public Drag Shows. More South Carolinians oppose a ban of public Drag Shows than favor it. Forty-seven percent oppose a law to ban public Drag Shows while 37% support such a ban. Republicans and Democrats differ on the issue with a majority of Republicans in support of a ban and a majority of Democrats in opposition.

Confederate Monuments, memorials and battle flag in SC

From a list of four options for what to do with monuments and memorials to Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War, the top two responses are to leave them just as they are (32%) and to leave them, but add a plaque or marker for context and historical interpretation (31%), closely followed by move them to a museum (25%). White respondents are more likely to want these monuments and memorials left just as they are (39%) while Black respondents are much more likely to suggest moving them to a museum (43%). Eighteen percent of Black respondents suggest removing them completely as opposed to only 4% of white respondents answering the same way.

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While South Carolinians are fairly split on their opinions of the Confederate battle flag, white South Carolinians more often say it is a symbol of Southern pride (37%) than it is racial conflict (25%) and Black South Carolinians the reverse – 66% stating it is more a symbol of racial conflict and 13% a symbol of Southern pride.

Same-sex marriage in SC

A majority of South Carolinians think marriages between same-sex couples should be recognized as valid with the same rights as a marriage between a man and a woman. Among Republicans, 37% think same-sex marriages should be recognized as valid and 51% say it should not. A strong majority of Democrats think same-sex marriage should be recognized as valid with 71% saying they should and 19% saying they should not.

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Christianity and America

Half of South Carolinians disagree with the idea that the federal government should declare the US a Christian nation. Just over half believe America holds a special place in God’s plan. When it comes to maintaining a separation of church and state, 66% agree that it is critical that our government maintain this separation. Thirty-eight percent of South Carolinians consider being a Christian an important aspect of being truly American while 47% do not.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Winthrop Poll: Donald Trump favorability ratings remain high in SC