Presidential Primary Preference:
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Jan 11-12
2012
Gingrich 25%
Huntsman 1%
Paul 20%
Perry 9%
Romney 29%
Santorum 7%
Other 2%
Undecided 7%
Mitt Romney leads the South Carolina Republican presidential primary with 29%. Newt Gingrich is in second place with 25% and Ron Paul is in third place with 20%.
Paul has gained the most and Rick Santorum has lost the most since the last American Research Group survey on January 4-5. In that survey, Paul was at 9% and Santorum was at 24%.
Gingrich and Romney are tied among self-identified Republicans with 29% each, followed by Paul with 18%. Paul leads among independents and Democrats with 29%, followed by Romney with 27%, Gingrich with 12%, and Rick Perry with 11%.
Gingrich leads among those likely primary voters saying they are supporters of the Tea Party with 28%, followed by Romney with 24%, Paul with 20%, and Santorum with 11%. Romney leads with 33% among those saying they are not supporters of the Tea Party or are undecided about the Tea Party, followed by Gingrich with 23%, and Paul with 21%.
Gingrich leads among evangelical Christians with 40%, followed by Perry with 15%, Romney with 13%, Santorum with 12%, and Paul with 10%. Among likely voters saying they are not evangelical Christians, Romney leads with 48% and followed by Paul with 33%.
Gingrich leads among men with 29%, followed by Paul with 23%, Romney at 18%, and Santorum with 14%. Among women, Romney leads with 38%, followed Gingrich with 22%, and Paul with 18%.
Comparison to Past Surveys:
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Apr
2011 Jul
2011 Oct
2011 Nov
2011 Jan 4-5
2012 Jan 11-12
2012
Bachmann 5% 13% 5% 3% ni ni
Barbour 2% ni ni ni ni ni
Cain 1% 10% 26% 10% ni ni
Daniels 1% ni ni ni ni ni
Gingrich 9% 3% 8% 33% 24% 25%
Giuliani 4% 6% ni ni ni ni
Huckabee 20% ni ni ni ni ni
Huntsman - - - 3% 2% 1%
Johnson - * - - ni ni
Karger - ni ni ni ni ni
Palin 10% 16% ni ni ni ni
Pataki - ni ni ni ni ni
Rand Paul 2% ni ni ni ni ni
Ron Paul 1% 2% 7% 8% 9% 20%
Pawlenty 2% - ni ni ni ni
Perry ni 6% 15% 8% 2% 9%
Roemer - 2% - - ni ni
Romney 18% 25% 25% 22% 31% 29%
Santorum 1% 2% 1% 1% 24% 7%
Trump 13% ni ni ni ni ni
Other/Undecided 11% 15% 13% 12% 8% 9%
Preference by party:
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Republicans (79%) Independents (21%)
Gingrich 29% 12%
Huntsman 1% 3%
Paul 18% 29%
Perry 8% 11%
Romney 29% 27%
Santorum 7% 8%
Other 2% 2%
Undecided 6% 8%
Preference by Tea Party support:
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Supporter (47%) Not/Undecided (53%)
Gingrich 28% 23%
Huntsman - 3%
Paul 20% 21%
Perry 9% 8%
Romney 24% 33%
Santorum 11% 3%
Other 2% 2%
Undecided 6% 7%
Preference by Evangelical Christian:
South Carolina
Likely Republican
Primary Voters Yes (56%) No/Undecided (44%)
Gingrich 40% 7%
Huntsman - 3%
Paul 10% 33%
Perry 15% 1%
Romney 13% 48%
Santorum 12% 1%
Other 2% 2%
Undecided 8% 5%