Haley Behind by More Than 25 Points in Home State, Trump Weak Among Moderates: Poll

A new survey suggests that Haley is struggling to gain traction in South Carolina, where she was once governor.

AP/Charlie Neibergall, file
Nikki Haley speaks during a town hall at Nevada, Iowa, December 18, 2023. AP/Charlie Neibergall, file

A new survey of South Carolina voters suggests that Ambassador Nikki Haley is trailing President Trump by over 25 points in her home state about three weeks out from the state’s primary.

The new survey conducted by the Washington Post and Monmouth University found that Mr. Trump enjoys 58 percent support among potential GOP primary voters while Ms. Haley enjoys just 32 percent support.

Ms. Haley has been blitzing her home state since the New Hampshire primary, where she received 43 percent of the vote to Mr. Trump’s 54 percent.

The survey found that, as in the first two nomination competitions, Ms. Haley is trailing with conservative voters and Republicans and is performing better with moderate voters and those who acknowledge President Biden’s 2020 victory.

Among “strong Republicans” Ms. Haley trails Mr. Trump 77 percent to 17 percent. Among voters who consider themselves “very conservative” Ms. Haley is trailing Mr. Trump 80 percent to 13 percent. Among voters who consider themselves “somewhat conservative” Ms. Haley is trailing Mr. Trump 33 percent to his 56 percent.

Ms. Haley is leading among voters who consider themselves moderate or liberal, 56 percent to 33 percent, as well as among voters who say “Biden won fairly” in 2020 70 percent to 16 percent. 

The survey highlights a trend of Mr. Trump’s weakness among more moderate voters in South Carolina that was seen in entrance and exit polling from the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

A recent Quinnipiac Poll also suggested that Mr. Trump is struggling among women in the general election, finding that women prefer President Biden over Mr. Trump 58 percent to 36 percent.


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