Other results from this general population survey of 1,174 South Carolinians (margin of error +/-2.86%) include the approval ratings of President Joe Biden, 32%; Governor Henry McMaster, 41%; Senator Lindsey Graham, 34%; and Senator Tim Scott, 41%.
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – According to the latest Winthrop Poll, 41% of South Carolinians believe a criminal conviction for Donald Trump decreases his chances of winning the 2024 presidential election.
In a survey-based experiment conducted before the results of Trump’s trial were announced on May 30, respondents were randomly assigned to one of two conditions that asked them to speculate about the impact of Donald Trump’s legal woes on his chances of winning in November.
One question merely mentioned the already well-known accusations, while the other mentioned the accusations, but also asked about the possible results if Trump were convicted of a crime. Since the poll was completed before the results of his first trial were known, they cannot have been tainted by knowledge of the outcome. Therefore, the poll findings represent the unvarnished opinions of how respondents believe a criminal conviction could change Trump’s chances of returning to the White House.
Other results from this general population survey of 1,174 South Carolinians (margin of error +/-2.86%):
· Approval Ratings: President Joe Biden, 32%; Governor Henry McMaster, 41%; Senator Lindsey Graham, 34%; Senator Tim Scott, 41%. Approval ratings for McMaster, Graham, and Scott among Republicans are significantly higher, although Graham still trails McMaster and Scott.
· Nikki Haley is slightly more favorable and much less unfavorable than Trump among South Carolinians, but is less favorable among Republicans. Democrats are more evenly split on views of Haley than on Trump.
· 41% sympathize more with the Israelis than with the Palestinians.
· 52% think supporting Israel is in the national interest of the United States.
· 84% believe women should be able to obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy threatens the woman’s life or health; 81% support legal abortion if the pregnancy is the result of rape; 60% support legal abortion if the baby is likely to be born with severe disabilities or health problems.
· 48% oppose the 6-week abortion ban in South Carolina; 31% support.
· 82% favor a legal requirement for undergraduates at public colleges and universities to take a course that teaches financial literacy; 73% favor a requirement for a course that teaches the US founding documents; 57% favor a requirement for a course that teaches diversity, equity, and inclusion; 51% favor a requirement for a course that teaches the impact of slavery on America.
· 67% favor the 2021 state law to require undergraduates at public colleges and universities to complete a course that teaches documents foundational to the African American Freedom struggle.
· 61% favor an additional one cent sales tax if the money were used to repair roads in their county.
· 62% say leaders in America are not ordained by God.
· Republicans are more likely than Democrats to want the US to be declared a Christian nation.
· 60% of Republicans say the Confederate battle flag is more a symbol of Southern pride while 51% of Democrats say it is more a symbol of racial conflict.
· 50% of Republicans say to leave monuments and memorials to Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War just as they are; 32% of Democrats say to move them to a museum.
For more information on the findings, for quotes from Poll Director Scott Huffmon and for the raw data, go to: https://www.winthrop.edu/winthroppoll/2024-may-winthroppoll-results.aspx
Respondents were reached May 8-21, 2024 via an online non-probability panel curated by Dynata. Results have a margin of error of approximately +/-2.86% at the 95% confidence level. Subgroups have higher margins of error.
The Winthrop Poll is conducted and paid for by Winthrop University.
For additional information, or to set up an interview with Poll Director Huffmon, please contact Judy Longshaw at longshawj@winthrop.edu or 803/323-2404 (office) or 803/984-0586 (cell).
