A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis is a distant second in a South Carolina poll, far behind front-runner Donald Trump when it comes to the preference of Palmetto State Republicans.
The survey includes a pair of home-state hopefuls. One was former Gov. Nikki Haley, who officially entered the 2024 presidential race this week. The other is U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who is mulling a potential run.
DeSantis’ 22% was closer to Haley’s 16.4% than to Trump’s 35%, an indication that DeSantis and Haley are splitting the anti-Trump constituency. Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence each had less than 2% support, with 24% of the 300 likely Republican voters polled undecided.
Per pollster Rick Shaftan of Neighborhood Research and Media, Trump was strongest in the upstate, while Haley, a native of Bamberg, polled best in the Columbia area. DeSantis was strongest in the Low Country, which is interesting in part because Haley launched her campaign in Charleston Wednesday.
DeSantis has treated Haley’s candidacy with a light touch. When a reporter in Jacksonville attempted to goad the Governor with making a presidential announcement at a state press conference this week, DeSantis offered a Reaganesque retort: “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Asked on Wednesday in West Palm Beach about Haley’s statement that a “new generation” of Republicans should lead, DeSantis said Florida had established “a blueprint for success that other states can follow, and you don’t even need to get into the nitty-gritty of everything we’ve done.”
Recent polling of South Carolina Republicans has shown variance generally.
The Moore Information Group/Conservative Policy Research Network poll of 450 likely GOP Primary voters showed Trump with 41%, DeSantis with 31%, and Haley with 12% support. Other candidates were in single digits in that survey, conducted between Jan. 18 and Jan. 24.
Another recent poll showed DeSantis leading by nearly 20 points. That survey from the South Carolina Policy Council, conducted by Spry Strategies, shows Trump mustering just 33% support against DeSantis in a head-to-head, with DeSantis garnering 52% support.
11 comments
David Pakman
February 16, 2023 at 4:54 pm
Trump called him a groomer and a greaseball. Said he would run third party and split the vote to favor the Dems if he doesn’t get the nomination. Trump said that Pope Ron DeSanctimonious should be washing his feet with his tears over his endorsement instead of running. Trump and his stupid supporters caused all these problems for the GOP.
Mac Wiseman
February 16, 2023 at 9:03 pm
James Clyburn put a voodoo spell on the entire state if South Carolina which made them all vote for Balloon Boy Biden in the last presidental election. The citizens of SC are all still a little effed up from that voodoo and likely wont vote logically for the next 15 to 20 years.
Ron desantis
February 17, 2023 at 12:57 pm
I tried to cast it out with Jesus but everyone just started calling me a pedophile priest lol
Ron desantis
February 17, 2023 at 12:32 am
Hey guys I just left a high school dance what did I miss? Lol
A.E.R.
February 17, 2023 at 2:25 am
Conservatives are creating laws that would completely erase the existence of LGBTQ people. They’re raising children who will further their hate and bigotry. Diversity frightens them to their very core. These Christofacists lack morality and compassion. If hell were real, they belong there.
Virginia
February 17, 2023 at 7:31 am
You should write more, A.E.R. as you write both concisely and eloquently.
David In Shoreline
February 17, 2023 at 5:29 pm
I’ll crawl over 6 miles of broken glass and concertina wire to vote for Governor DeSantis. That man is awesome!
Paul Howard
February 19, 2023 at 8:41 am
DeSantis is an wannabe autocrat; he is worse than trump.
He is one more nail in the coffin of western democracy.
Lee Roller
February 19, 2023 at 10:54 am
Says more about your instability than his.
Dr. Franklin Waters
February 18, 2023 at 12:29 am
The unhinged antics of this Governor won’t play well for the rest of the country.
Lee Roller
February 19, 2023 at 10:53 am
Remember all the time, money and resources that DeCeiveus has dedicated to outlawing things that were never actual threats in the first place…
1. DEI
2. CRT
3. LGBTQ
4. BLM
(the man clearly fears the alphabet)
…and of course…
5. The Disney Corporation
Remember all of these things when your next homeowner’s insurance bill arrives. And remember the special legislative sessions and extraordinary political capital expended on the above non-issues while ignoring the insurance crisis that threatens to displace all but the most wealthy homeowners in Florida.
This autocrat is more concerned with ginning up boogeymen that don’t actually exist so he can position himself as some sort of defender than he is with the very real and actual threats that are already at our doorsteps and threatening our continued lives in Florida.
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