The 2024 Republican Presidential Primary Election in South Carolina is turning out to be a stronghold for former President Donald Trump, even despite a recent federal indictment.
According to the third installment of the monthly poll by National Public Affairs (NPA), Republican primary voters “still strongly support him as their 2024 nominee.”
The poll, which gathered responses from 809 likely 2024 Presidential Primary voters in South Carolina, found that “Trump’s federal indictment hasn’t changed anything.”
Rather, “nearly one-third of voters say the indictment makes them ‘more likely’ to support him as the nominee and 40% say it ‘doesn’t impact their decision.’”
As of June, “Trump maintains a strong and steady position at the top of the field with 41% of the vote,” which is a 3-point increase from the last month.
The remaining candidates are struggling to catch up, with Governor Ron DeSantis, the closest contender, at 18%, followed by former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 12%, and Senator Tim Scott at 10%.
The report states that “the South Carolina Republican primary is effectively a race for second place at this time.”
With Trump’s continued dominance, all eyes are now on five key counties.
According to NPA, these counties might play a decisive role in the outcome of the primary.
Rubio counties, which voted for Marco Rubio in 2016, currently favor Trump.
The report notes that “if Trump wins these Rubio counties in 2024, the race is over.”
Similarly, Trump holds a considerable lead in the Cruz Supporting County, Greenville, which was won by Ted Cruz in 2016.
If Trump’s competitors fail to make significant inroads in these areas, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to overtake him statewide.
The entrance of former Governor Chris Christie into the race has further stirred the dynamic, particularly among Independent voters.
While Nikki Haley remains the second choice among Independents, “Christie’s entrance into the race immediately garnered him 11% support among Independents.”
The report also touched on potential VP candidates.
Interestingly, South Carolina voters seem to favor Tim Scott.
According to the report, “Senator Tim Scott now tops the list of candidates for whom voters would consider supporting,” despite his steady 10% primary support.
However, not all news is good for the candidates.
Key demographic shifts have increased the number of voters who would not consider voting for certain candidates.
DeSantis, Haley, Christie, and Pence all saw significant upticks in voters who said they would “absolutely not consider voting for them.”
With months to go until the 2024 South Carolina Republican Primary, the contest is shaping up to be one of the most dynamic in recent years.
Read the full report below:
