OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump is polling far ahead of his remaining GOP primary rival, Nikki Haley, in her home state of South Carolina.
According to a Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll conducted for the pro-Trump MAGA Inc. PAC, Trump garnered 66 percent of support among likely South Carolina Republican primary voters. He more than doubles Haley’s 31 percent.
The results of the survey were first published by The Messenger on Tuesday.
Trump’s support is made up of 59 percent of respondents who indicated they will “definitely” vote for him and an additional six percent who said they “probably” will. In contrast, seven percent of poll participants expressed they would “probably” support Haley, while 24 percent stated they would “definitely” support her. There is another four percent who remain undecided.
Once voters are informed that former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), who co-chaired the House January 6 Select Committee, has endorsed Haley, her support decreases to 29 percent, whereas Trump’s support remains unchanged. Additionally, the percentage of voters who would “definitely” vote for Haley decreases from 24 percent to 21 percent.
“Despite her positive job approval and millions in attack ads against President Trump, Republican Primary voters in South Carolina remain unswayed by Haley’s weak attempts to change their minds. South Carolina solidly remains Trump country,” a memo from the polling firm concludes.
President Joe Biden declared last week that Trump “will be the nominee” following Trump’s landslide victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday night in the Republican presidential primary.
In a statement emailed to Mediaite, Biden framed Trump as the presumptive victor and thanked voters who helped his write-in campaign, which led to him winning the Democratic primary in New Hampshire.
“It is now clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee. And my message to the country is the stakes could not be higher. Our Democracy. Our personal freedoms — from the right to choose to the right to vote. Our economy — which has seen the strongest recovery in the world since COVID. All are at stake. I want to thank all those who wrote my name in this evening in New Hampshire,” the statement said.
As Yahoo pointed out, Biden’s team is aware of the political challenges they are facing.
“Biden faces no shortage of headwinds going into the general election season — low approval ratings, widespread concern about his age, multiplying tensions abroad and plenty of discontent at home, including from disenchanted young people and minorities who were key to his first victory. But his campaign has crafted a rejoinder to each count — the answers often circling back to Trump himself,” Yahoo noted.
Exit polling regarding what voters care most about during Tuesday’s primaries in New Hampshire does not bode well for Biden and the Democratic Party as they attempt to frame the issues heading into November’s elections.
Earlier last week, the White House announced that Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off a nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” Tour in Wisconsin, with the focus being on ensuring wider access to abortion.
“Freedom, I believe, is fundamental to the promise of America…and that includes the freedom to make decisions about one’s own body, not the government telling you what to do,” Harris said during the event.
Her remarks — and the White House’s focus on abortion — come after the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned Roe v. Wade, ruling that the issue should have always resided with individual states.
But according to exit polling done by CBS News during the New Hampshire primaries, the top issues for voters, by far, are the illegal immigration crisis along the country’s southern border and the economy.
“On the issues, the economy and immigration are the top issues for New Hampshire primary voters. These are the same issues that were most important to Iowa GOP caucus goers,” the outlet reported. “Immigration is a driver, particularly for Trump voters.”
