Nikki Haley hasn't suffered any damage whatsoever after accusations of multiple extramarital affairs and is headed for an easy first place finish in Tuesday's Republican primary for Governor of South Carolina.
Haley has a 20 point lead, getting 43% of the vote. Gresham Barrett looks like the favorite for the second runoff spot. He's at 23%, followed by Henry McMaster at 16%, and Andre Bauer at 12%.
Two weeks ago Haley held a 21 point lead in the race. Since then she's gained 4 points, Barrett's standing has improved by 7, McMaster's has dropped by a couple points, and Bauer's gone down a single point.
Only 13% of voters believe the allegations about Haley's marital infidelity. 54% flat out do not believe them and 33% are unsure. Haley will, however, be in trouble with voters if they ever are proven. In that case 42% think she should drop out of the race.
At +35 (58/23) Haley's favorability is nearly identical to its +34 standing from two weeks ago. Barrett has seen a large gain on that front over the last two weeks from +10 to +25 (44/19). McMaster and Bauer aren't making any progress on that front. The Attorney General has actually dropped from +21 to +17 (45/28). The Lieutenant Governor continues to be highly unpopular even with his own party's voters. He's at -23 (29/52), the same as his standing a couple weeks ago.
A runoff between Haley and Barrett appears to be the most likely outcome right now. Barrett narrows the gap in such a contest because supporters of McMaster and Bauer say they would support him 45-30 over Haley in a head to head. Nevertheless Haley still leads Barrett 51-35 overall.
Haley's support is pretty universal. She gets 43% with both moderates and conservatives, 45% in the Low Country, 44% in the Midlands, and 40% in the Upstate. At this point the chances of her winning an outright majority and avoiding a runoff appear to be better than the ones of her not finishing first.
Full results here
Well thanks Andre-you too Jake!Seems like you good old boys have really helped the lady out.Now will see a Will Folk's allegation tomorrow about his threesome with y'all?
ReplyDeleteGet 'em Nikki.
ReplyDeleteI had little interest and no candidate in this race until the disgraceful smears began
ReplyDeleteGo get 'em Nikki indeed!
DaMav
When are the SC-4 Inglis primary numbers coming out? Tonight?
ReplyDeleteMy FB and website post to Gresham Barrett:
ReplyDeleteSir, Your "Boot Camp" ad shows U.S. Army (Retired). I am unable to find information on your retiring from the Army vs 4 years honorable active duty and resigning commission. I've called your Greenville , Columbia and Washington, DC offices and none were able to provide any information on this. Please tell me when you retired and from what component of the Army. I believe there is an apparent "mischaracterization" in your claim.Thank you, RES, LTC, US Army, Infantry, Retired, 20 years actve service, 1962-1983.
Some day soon, someone is going to have to take this slate of R nominees and rub the nosesws of nasty identity politicians in it.
ReplyDeleteI REALLY DONT CARE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES PERSONAL LIVES. I WQANT SOMEONE WHO IS CAPABLE AND STRONG ENOUGH TO HELP SOUTH CAROLINA OUT OF THIS RUT THAT WE ARE IN. IF THEY ARE QUALIFIED AND CAPABLE THAT'S WHAT IS IMPORTANT. DOC
ReplyDeleteHaley's first accuser gave specific, provable telephone start and stop times for very lengthy late night phone calls. I've never talked to a woman that late or that long (much less both) unless I was already "doing" her - or wanted to do so very badly. Perhaps her "extracurrics" are why she misses 74% of the votes. So, yes, it DOES matter what your private life is if it's interfering with your public life (e.g., Arafat waiting for Clinton as he was doing cigar tricks with Monica Lewinsky). The only thing scarier is that she supported Romney who was out-kennedying Kennedy in 1994. I already suspected she had no core values from that endorsement, but am even more certain now. We DON'T need a Sanford-with-ovaries. We don't need a comedian like McMaster or an arrogant speeder like Bauer ("YOU can't arrest me! I'm SC2!"). Since Barrett was the ONLY SC Congressman who voted AGAINST the first TARP bill (all of them voted for the second one), and since Barrett also was one of only 16 GOPsters who voted against Bush's Prescription Drug Parte D bill, much of the teaparty attack on his second TARP vote is questionable. The second vote was 263-171, and many of the GOPsters who voted against it the second time did so only because they knew it would pass anyway and they could afford to grandstand.
ReplyDelete