Ahead of the Republican primary in South Carolina, an overwhelming majority of 75 percent prospective voters said that Nikki Haley being from the state makes “no difference” to them while casting their vote.
A new CBS News/YouGov poll conducted in the state between February 5-10, 2024 found that only 20 percent of the voters said they were “more likely to vote” for Haley because she hails from their state, while 5 percent said the opposite.
Nikki Haley served as the 116th governor of the state from 2011 to 2017. The work she did during her term has been appreciated by most voters, but it has not translated into support for her candidacy for President of the country, finds the poll as she trails her opponent Donald Trump by 35 points.
The poll revealed that 89 percent of the voters said national issues outweigh South Carolina’s issues in deciding their vote in the GOP presidential primary. Additionally, nine in ten voters supporting Donald Trump are “firmly decided” to vote for him in the South Carolina presidential primary scheduled in the state on February 24.
Nearly half of South Carolinian Republican voters identify as “MAGA” Make America Great Again (MAGA) is a nationalistic political movement in the U.S. popularized during Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. More than 75 percent of voters in Haley’s home state do not think she is part of that movement, while nearly 20 percent of voters think she is a part of it.
When asked who they would cast a vote for if the 2024 GOP nomination for president were held today, 30 percent said they would favour their former Gov. Haley in comparison to 65 percent of choosing Trump. Additionally, Trump fared better in terms of approval ratings for his time as President compared to Haley’s approval ratings for her time as South Carolina’s governor. 82 percent approved of Trump as President while 60 percent approved of Haley as governor.
When asked who is a tough candidate, a strong leader, a prepared candidate, and likable among Haley and Trump, the latter fared better in the first three categories. Haley fared better in terms of likeability, with 52 percent of respondents saying she is more likable than 32 percent who described Trump as likable.
While Trump continues to be the frontrunner in the primary’s among likely Republican voters, including Haley’s home state of South Carolina, the latter is determined to continue her campaign up to Super Tuesday. Haley also said she doesn't need to win in the South Carolina elections to continue in the race.
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