U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is struggling with his “Republican” base in South Carolina according to a new poll from Clemson University.
Clemson professor Dave Woodard – who moonlights as a paid political operative – surveyed 500 South Carolinians who cast votes in two of the last three GOP primary elections. Fifty-three percent of these voters had a favorable impression of Graham compared to 36 percent who viewed him unfavorably.
Woodard’s numbers show S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is viewed favorably by 70 percent of GOP voters, compared to 18 percent who viewed her unfavorably and 12 percent who said they were “undecided.” Haley’s GOP approval rating is identical to what it was in an April 2013 survey conducted by Winthrop University.
However, that poll found Haley favored by only 43.5 percent of general election voters.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott was viewed favorably by 69 percent of GOP voters – compared to only six percent who viewed hum unfavorably. Meanwhile twenty-five percent of Republicans said they were “undecided” about Scott.
Graham’s most troubling number? Only 31 percent of Republicans say they will vote to reelect him regardless of who runs against him – while 19 percent of Republicans say they would not vote for him. Forty-five percent of respondents said they would vote for Haley regardless of who runs against her in a GOP primary, while 13 percent said they would not vote for her.
27 comments
Graham only needs 51% of the vote. 53>51
A few months of pretending to be conservative will bump up that number and further secure his reelection. We all know it.
Obviously Sic Willie was not a math major.
That’s true of almost ALL reporters AND editors in our Palmetto State.
So everyone who views him favorably now is guaranteed to vote for him next June? The candidates are at the starting blocks but the race hasn’t even begun. The anti-Graham cash is going to make its mark about two months from the election.
I wish Graham the worst of luck.
You’re right in that the current favorables are not a lock, but likewise some portion of the “nays” may turn as well. It’s still early. At any rate, these numbers (at this stage of the game) don’t make him that vulnerable. As we wind toward election day, Sugarbritches will unleash his kajillion dollar war chest (that NO other candidate can come close to matching) onto our TV’s and radios, and he will still very likely squeak through for another 6 year ride by 10 points or so. Life in red SC…
The little worm is even now slaming on Cruz, Paul and Lee for fighting Obamacare. Too late to begin the con game again. And Graham seems in total denial of the trouble he is in. If you look at all the issues we are talking about Syria, NSA, drones, Obamacare, illegal immigration – Graham is strongly in the Democrats corner. So Graham is in effect asking the Republican primary voters of South Carolina to embrace the Democrats corner. And Graham cannot hide his personal contempt for real small government leaders and voters.
Vulnerable? The little snit is a sitting (lame) duck & is too full of hubris to know it.
I’d REALLY like to see the demographics of the 500 people polled. An accurate sample would be at least 1,200 registered voters, and 1,800 to reduce error and chance. Plus, it’s Clemson – how many cows can you interview?
So you have sworn off all dairy products and beef?
No, but I consider my culinary predilections more an act of cannibalism than anything else. I am what I eat. Right now, I’m sashimi over sushi, hummus & pita chips, and Irn Bru.
If you will eat haggis, then you have very few, if any limits. Robert Burns would approve.
5/8ths Scots, 3/8ths Huguenot, 1/16th Irish, 1/16th English, raised by a woman from Daufuskie Island, with close Hispanic, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Texican, Cajun, Navajo, and Tsalagi friends. I can eat ANYTHING that does not eat me first. I’m talking about food, here.
However I am not sure how you got you got to 1.125 since most of we mere mortals are just 1.00.
It’s the English in me.. always claiming other peoples’ stuff.. and the Irish.. but I really can’t remember why..
I know buzzards that would say “no thanks” to that. I hate to see a man suffer in such a manner, let me take you to Longhorn’s?
Republican voters dumb. Dumb.
How so?
Lol, and thats coming from an Obama voter
Bawhahahahahaha HA!
Since I am an independent, I vote for the candidates I like, not the political party. I don’t care for the extreme right or the extreme left, but I never say I am not going to vote for a person because I may change my mind later. It all depends on who’s running and their platforms. Right now, I have no idea who I will vote for.
What’s the label extreme? The media says that guys like McCain and Graham who are for using violence against other nations every chance we get and that we should go around looking for excuses to bomb other countries – are moderates?! But if you are for caution and restraint in the use of force you are a right or left wing nutjob?! So careful about the value of labels.
I already know for sure that I will NOT be voting for Lindsey. In all seriousness, if it came down to him and an ultra-liberal such as Jim Clyburn, I would vote or Clyburn because at least with someone like that, we know what we have. Lindsey pretends to be one thing, while being something else entirely. I trust people like that even less than my enemies, who are what they are and make no apologies for it.
Voting Lindsey out is your prerogative. Good luck to you!
The sad, old, drag queen is going to be retired.
The sun will set on the RINO herd in 2014 and 2016!
What I find disturbing is that Graham has any chance of re-election whatsoever.
Graham has no clue how deep he is……..heck, does he even stop to think how long it has taken to finish I-526..?
Graham’s secret weapon is that he can count on the usual wretches thinking they are being clever playing the “light-in-the-loafers” card which serves only to generate sympathy votes. Seriously. Graham is an example of why we need term limits but half of his opponents are more loathesome than he is.