SC residents divided over 2020 election fairness favor McMaster
South Carolinians are divided on whether the 2020 presidential election was fair and accurate despite the fact that no widespread voter fraud was uncovered, including in Palmetto State, according to a new poll released Wednesday by Winthrop University.
The Winthrop Poll survey of the general population found that 47% of respondents said the 2020 presidential election was fair and 45% said it was not.
The split was along party lines.
85% of Democratic respondents said President Joe Biden’s election was fair, while 77% of Republicans said it was not.
“Belief, or at least the desire to publicly express belief, in the premise that the 2020 presidential election result was fraudulent remains a major partisan dividing point,” Winthrop poll director Scott Huffmon said. . “While no widespread fraud was uncovered, it remains a touchstone of Republican identity in South Carolina to verbally express doubt.”
The poll polled 817 South Carolinians by phone from April 2-24 and asked about the 2020 presidential election, whether South Carolinians approved of Governor Henry McMaster’s job performance and probed their support for Biden and the government. former President Donald Trump.
Although no statewide fraud was uncovered in South Carolina’s 2020 presidential election and Trump won the state, the GOP-controlled legislature passed related measures. in elections this year to reduce fraud and strengthen election security.
McMaster this month signed the two-week early voting bill into law which also strengthens penalties for voter fraud, expands election audits, institutes more voter roll maintenance, establishes a hotline against electoral fraud and prohibits the financing of elections by third parties.
The legislation received broad bipartisan support in the state legislature.
South Carolina endorses McMaster job performance
McMaster faces re-election in November, and so far the people of South Carolina approve of his handling of his first term.
The poll found that 55% of those polled said they approved of his professional performance.
Of those polled who identify as Republicans, more than 80% said they approve of McMaster’s professional performance, and 88% of Democrats said they don’t.
McMaster will face a main challenger on June 14, but is expected to win against the longtime contender.
In November, he will likely face former Congressman Joe Cunningham or State Senator Mia McLeod, D-Richland.
The poll did not ask about Cunningham or McLeod.
SC Republicans overwhelmingly support Trump and Haley
The majority of those polled said they approve of Republican U.S. Senator Tim Scott’s job performance and support Trump and former Governor Nikki Haley.
Here’s what the Winthrop poll found:
▪ A 32% job approval rating for Biden
▪ A 58% disapproval rating among the general public, but a 65% approval rating among Republicans for U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C.
▪ A 66% approval rating among the general public and an 89% approval rating among Republicans for Scott, R-.SC
▪ A 63% favorable rating for Haley, a former Trump administration official, while 53% of Democrats view her unfavorably. She remains popular with Republicans with an 82% favorable rating. Haley is a potential 2024 presidential candidate, who previously said she would not run if Trump ran again
▪ A favorable rating of 53% among respondents, including 89% of Republicans for Trump
This story is developing. It will be updated.