Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Donald Trump is holding on to his top spot in South Carolina, according to a new Monmouth University Poll.
Trump has the support of 35 percent of likely Republican primary voters in the Palmetto State. The poll found Ted Cruz captures second place with 19 percent, followed by Marco Rubio at 17 percent. John Kasich is at 9 percent, followed by Jeb Bush at 8 percent and Ben Carson at 7 percent.
The poll found there’s some room for movement come election day. Forty-two percent of respondents said they had decided on a candidate, while 31 percent said they had a strong preference.
“The overwhelmingly negative feelings of South Carolina Republicans toward the political establishment have helped Trump build upon the support he enjoyed since this summer,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, in a statement.
Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of South Carolina Republicans said they were dissatisfied with the Republican leaders in Congress. More than half (54 percent) of those polled said they thought someone outside of government should be elected.
The Monmouth University Poll was conducted from Feb. 14 through Feb. 16. The poll surveyed 400 likely South Carolina Republican primary voters and has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.
The South Carolina primary is Saturday.
