Former President Donald Trump holds a large lead over his Republican rivals in the crucial early primary state of South Carolina. Trump’s high marks best not only his chief rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), but also key Palmetto State officials, including Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R).
A recent National Public Affairs poll shows Trump gaining in the state since its last poll in June. He currently leads with 45%, up from 41% two months prior.
DeSantis follows in second, with 13%, a drop of 5% since the last poll.
South Carolinians Scott and Haley tied for third place, each receiving 11%.
Rounding out the next two spots were former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, with 7% and 5% respectively.
No other candidate, including former Vice President Mike Pence, cracked the 5% threshold.
2024 South Carolina Republican Primary
Trump 45% (+4 from June)
DeSantis 13% (-5)
Scott 11% (+1)
Haley 11% (-1)
Christie 7% (+2)
Ramaswamy 5% (+3)
Pence 2% (=)
Hutchinson 1% (-1)
Burgum 1% (=)@NatPubAffairs | 846 LV | 08/07-09https://t.co/o5i2RhcFob— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 13, 2023
Recent polls have shown the former president largely expanding his lead over the remainder of the Republican field. The news comes after several indictments against Trump, including the most recent charges by special counsel Jack Smith regarding the aftermath of the 2020 election.
The former president holds consistent leads in national polling. In the RealClearPolitics polling average, Trump holds a majority of GOP primary voters, with more than 54%. This represents an almost 40% lead over his next closest rival, DeSantis.
Only two other candidates reached an average of 5% in national polls, with Ramaswamy nabbing 6% and Pence 5%.
Trump has also performed well in other state polls. A recent Emerson poll found the former president leading his rivals in Arizona with nearly 60% of the vote, with DeSantis registering just 11% support. Christie is the only other candidate to show significant support, polling at 6% in the state.
The 45th president also holds a significant lead in polling for the Iowa Caucus. Recent polls show Trump with an average lead of 27% over DeSantis. Both Ramaswamy and Scott show support over 5%, with other Republican candidates well behind the frontrunner.
