Winthrop University: Winthrop Poll - Current Findings
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Current Findings

November 2022 Winthrop Poll

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Former President Trump may face some competition in South Carolina for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Half of S.C. Republicans who are registered to vote think former S.C. Governor Nikki Haley should run for president in 2024, according to the latest Winthrop Poll.

The poll results were gathered by telephone calls and online before the midterm elections on November 8.

Speculation has already started about who will challenge President Joe Biden in two years to become the nation’s leader.

Respondents were asked who they would support if both Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump ran for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024. More S.C. Republican registered voters picked Trump (45%). Thirty-seven percent picked Haley, 10% picked “someone else,” and 8% were not sure.

Winthrop Poll Director, Dr. Scott Huffmon, stated, “Haley has a strong showing against the former president, who is popular within his party. Since this was conducted before the disappointing midterm results, for which many Republicans blame Trump, her star may have risen even further.”

As for the 2020 presidential election, only one-fourth of Republicans believe the results were fair and accurate, while 85% of Democrats agreed with the results.

The abortion issue brought out many voters around the country last week due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, the federal case that allowed legal abortion. Each state is determining how to proceed, causing some Southern states to ban most abortions while abortion advocates are suing to block enforcement of laws that restrict the procedure. 

Here in South Carolina, 86% of all respondents said a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy threatens her life or health. That percentage climbed to 92% for Democrats, and dipped to 80% for Republicans.

If the pregnancy was the result of a rape, 82% of respondents also said the woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion. Republican support was 75% in this situation, while Democratic support was 91%. 

Support for legal abortion fell if the baby was likely to be born with severe disabilities or health problems with 63% of all respondents indicating a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion in these instances. Eighty-one percent of Democrats voiced support in this case while less than half of Republicans agreed.

When asked if a woman should be able to obtain a legal abortion for any reason, the support dropped to 46% of all respondents; only a fourth of Republican voters and almost three-fourths of Democratic voters.

According to Huffmon, “The majority of South Carolinians believe in the ability to get a legal abortion at least under some circumstances. There doesn’t seem to be much support for additional restrictions.”

Here are more views on current topics by S.C. voters:

  • More than three-fourths of S.C. voters are in favor of medical marijuana but support drops to half when asked about recreational marijuana. Republicans are less likely to support the legalization of marijuana than Democrats. Huffmon notes, “Support for medical marijuana has been growing in South Carolina with sizeable majorities from both parties favoring it. While a bit more than half showed support for legalizing recreational marijuana, there was a sharp partisan divide.”

  • Half of respondents said they favor legalizing gambling on sports in the Palmetto state. Sixty percent of Democrats favored this, while only 40% of Republicans supported the idea.

  • Only one-third of respondents thought the newly drawn Congressional districts based on the 2020 Census were redrawn in a fair manner. About 40% of Democrats said they weren’t, while around one-third of all respondents didn’t know.

  • Half of white respondents said the Confederate battle flag is a symbol of Southern pride. Conversely, 63% of Black respondents felt the flag was a symbol of racial conflict and only 11% stated it represented Southern pride. 

  • More than half of all participants said same-sex marriages should be recognized by law as valid. Half of Republicans disagreed. Huffmon stated, “With the Dobbs decision putting abortion back onto the states, some worry that the same might happen to the decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. While more than half of the South Carolina population support the continued legality of same-sex marriage, support among Republicans drops below 40% in this GOP-dominated state.”

  • What to do with Confederate monuments and memorials continues to be problematic and shows the racial divide in South Carolina. Only a third of all respondents said to leave the memorials to Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War just as they are. Around 30% said to add a marker for context, while one-fourth of all respondents said to move them to a museum. More than 40% of Black respondents said to move them to a museum.

Race, gender and religious reactions 

The Winthrop Poll sought to find out how much discrimination there is against different groups in our society. Here is a sampling of the findings: 

Black people – 70% of white respondents said there is some or a lot of discrimination toward Black people while 94% of Black respondents said some or a lot.

Hispanics – 72% of all respondents said this group faces some or a lot of discrimination; 57% of white respondents said some or a lot and 86% of Black respondents said some or a lot. 

White people – 44% of all respondents said some or a lot; 48% of white respondents said some or a lot and 32% of Black respondents said none at all. 

Asian people – 68% of all respondents said some or a lot; 63% of white respondents said some or a lot and 78% of Black respondents said some or a lot. 

Gays and Lesbians – 78% of all respondents said some or a lot; 68% of Republicans said some or a lot and 91% of Democrats said some or a lot. 

Women – 65% of all respondents said some or a lot; 55% of men said some or a lot and 73% of women said some or a lot. 

Men – 37% of all respondents said some or a lot; 42% of men said some or a lot and 32% of women said some or a lot. 

Jews – 61% of all respondents said some or a lot; 51% of Republicans said some or a lot and 76% of Democrats said some or a lot. 

Muslims – 75% of all respondents said some or a lot; 65% of Republicans said some or a lot and 85% of Democrats said some or a lot. 

Christians – 53% of all respondents said some or a lot; 62% of Republicans said some or a lot and 43% of Democrats said some or a lot. 

Conservatives and Liberals – Republicans were more likely to say conservatives face a lot or some discrimination than were Democrats, while Democrats were more likely to say liberals face a lot or some discrimination than were Republicans.

Three-fourths of white respondents said they have not been discriminated against in the past year based on their race, while nearly half of Black respondents said they were. 

Separation of Church and State

The Winthrop Poll explored religion’s role in government. Nearly 70% said it was critical for our government to maintain a separation of church and state.

Half of all respondents said the federal government should not declare the United States a Christian nation, yet a third said it should.

The idea that the United States holds a special place in God’s plan figures into many Southerners’ thinking, with 46% agreeing with that statement. Nearly half of respondents consider the founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, to be divinely inspired. More than a third of respondents said they consider being a Christian an important aspect of being truly American. Dr. Huffmon noted, “While not a majority, Christian Nationalism, which blends identities of being an American and being a Christian, appears to have a strong base in South Carolina.”

For additional information, or to set up an interview with Poll Director, Dr. Scott Huffmon, please contact Judy Longshaw at longshawj@winthrop.edu or 803/323-2404 (office) or 803/984-0586 (cell). 

For more information on the methodology of and funding for this poll, read our methodology statement.

Full Questionnaire

 

RESULTS MAY NOT SUM TO 100 DUE TO ROUNDING

Demographics:

 

Census

November 2022 Winthrop Poll

Male

47.9759

47.2

Female

52.0241

51.7

Other/Ref

--

1.1

   

 

White

65.955

64.5

Black

25.262

25.0

Other

8.783

8.5

Refused

--

2.0

   

 

18-24

11.4038

12.0

25-44

32.2448

32.8

45-64

32.628

32.4

65+

23.7234

22.7

 

TABLE 1: In the past year, do you feel that you have been discriminated against because of your race or ethnicity?

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

Yes

30

21

47

No

65

75

46

Not sure/Refused

5

4

7

 

TABLE 2: In the past year, has there been a time when you felt that you could not express your political opinions out of fear of being verbally attacked or harassed?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes

47

52

36

No

50

46

63

Not sure/Refused

3

2

2

 

TABLE 3: Would you favor or oppose a law legalizing medical marijuana prescribed by a doctor?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Favor

78

71

82

Oppose

15

22

12

Not sure/Refused

7

8

6

 

TABLE 4: Would you favor or oppose a law legalizing the recreational use of marijuana?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Favor

54

39

67

Oppose

37

54

26

Not sure/Refused

10

7

8

 

TABLE 5: Would you favor or oppose a law legalizing gambling on sports in the state of South Carolina?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Favor

50

40

60

Oppose

37

50

31

Not sure/Refused

14

10

10

 

TABLE 6: Which of the following comes closest to your opinion about what to do with monuments or memorials to Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War?

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

Leave them just as they are

35

42

16

Leave them, but add a plaque or marker for context and historical interpretation

28

33

16

Move them to a museum

25

19

42

Remove them completely

8

5

18

Not sure/Refused

4

2

8

 

TABLE 7: Some people say the confederate flag reminds them of white supremacy and racial conflict. Other people say the confederate battle flag is a symbol of southern heritage and pride.
 
 Do you think the flag is more a symbol of racial conflict or of southern pride?

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

Racial Conflict

37

27

63

Southern Pride

39

52

11

Equally Both

14

13

15

Not sure/Refused

10

8

12

 

TABLE 8: Do you believe that the results of the 2020 Presidential election were fair and accurate?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes

52

25

85

No

34

62

7

Not sure/Refused

14

13

8

 

TABLE 9: Should a woman be able to obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy threatens the woman's life or health?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes

86

80

92

No

7

13

4

Not sure/Refused

8

8

4

 

TABLE 10: Should a woman be able to obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy is the result of rape?

 

All Respondents

Republicans (not including leaners)

Democrats (not including leaners)

Yes

82

75

91

No

12

19

5

Not sure/Refused

7

6

4

 

TABLE 11: Should a woman be able to obtain a legal abortion if the baby is likely to be born with severe disabilities or health problems?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes

63

48

81

No

24

40

10

Not sure/Refused

13

12

9

 

TABLE 12: Should a woman be able to obtain a legal abortion for any reason whatsoever?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes

46

23

72

No

43

69

18

Not sure/Refused

11

8

10

 

TABLE 13: Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as a marriage between a man and a woman?

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

Yes, should be recognized as valid

56

37

69

No, should not be recognized as valid

35

54

23

Not sure/Refused

10

9

8

 

TABLE 14: Do you think Nikki Haley should run for president in 2024?

[for this table the margin of error is +/- 5%]

 

Republicans who are registered to vote

Yes

51

No

33

Not sure/Refused

16

 

TABLE 15: If both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump ran for the Republican Nomination for President in 2024, would you support Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, or someone else who might run?

[for this table the margin of error is +/- 5%]

 

Republicans who are registered to vote

Nikki Haley

37

Donald Trump

45

Someone else

10

Not sure/Refused

8

 

For the next few questions, please tell us how much discrimination there is against each of these groups in our society today.

TABLE 16: Black people

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

A lot

42

29

76

Some

34

41

18

Only a little

16

21

3

None at all

5

7

1

Refused

3

2

3

 

TABLE 17: Hispanics

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

A lot

32

23

54

Some

40

44

32

Only a little

18

22

7

None at all

7

8

3

Refused

4

3

4

 

TABLE 18: White people

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

A lot

13

13

11

Some

31

35

21

Only a little

32

32

33

None at all

22

18

32

Refused

3

2

3

 

TABLE 19: Asian people

 

All Respondents

White Respondents

Black Respondents

A lot

24

18

35

Some

44

45

43

Only a little

21

24

14

None at all

8

10

4

Refused

4

3

4

 

TABLE 20: Gays and Lesbians

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

42

24

63

Some

36

44

28

Only a little

13

21

4

None at all

5

9

3

Refused

4

3

2

 

TABLE 21: Women

 

All Respondents

Men

Women

A lot

26

19

32

Some

39

36

41

Only a little

21

27

15

None at all

12

16

8

Refused

3

2

3

 

TABLE 22: Men

 

All Respondents

Men

Women

A lot

11

13

9

Some

26

29

23

Only a little

31

31

32

None at all

29

25

33

Refused

3

2

3

 

TABLE 23: Jews

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

22

12

38

Some

39

39

38

Only a little

22

29

14

None at all

13

16

6

Refused

5

4

3

 

TABLE 24: Muslims

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

40

24

59

Some

35

41

26

Only a little

14

22

9

None at all

6

9

3

Refused

5

4

4

 

TABLE 25: Christians

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

17

23

13

Some

36

39

30

Only a little

24

24

28

None at all

19

12

27

Refused

3

1

3

 

TABLE 26: Conservatives

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

23

36

12

Some

34

35

33

Only a little

23

17

27

None at all

15

8

23

Refused

6

4

6

 

TABLE 27: Liberals

 

All Respondents

Republicans

(not including leaners)

Democrats

(not including leaners)

A lot

17

11

22

Some

37

35

40

Only a little

24

30

21

None at all

16

21

12

Refused

5

2

6

 

For these next questions, we want you to tell us whether you strongly disagree, disagree, are undecided, agree, or strongly agree with each statement.

TABLE 28: The federal government should declare the United States a Christian nation.

 

All Respondents

Strongly Disagree

29

Disagree

24

Undecided

14

Agree

16

Strongly Agree

15

Refused

2

 

TABLE 29: America holds a special place in God’s plan.

 

All Respondents

Strongly Disagree

17

Disagree

15

Undecided

19

Agree

27

Strongly Agree

19

Refused

4

 

TABLE 30: It is critical that our government maintains a separation of church and state.

 

All Respondents

Strongly Disagree

5

Disagree

10

Undecided

14

Agree

30

Strongly Agree

39

Refused

3

 

TABLE 31: I consider founding documents, like the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, to be divinely inspired.

 

All Respondents

Strongly Disagree

14

Disagree

19

Undecided

18

Agree

28

Strongly Agree

18

Refused

3

 

TABLE 32: I consider being a Christian an important aspect of being truly American.

 

All Respondents

Strongly Disagree

21

Disagree

26

Undecided

13

Agree

21

Strongly Agree

16

Refused

3

 

TABLE 33: As you may know, after every Census, electoral districts are redesigned in order to reflect any changes in the population. This happens for all Congressional districts as well as districts for State House and State Senate.

2022 will be the first election using the newly drawn districts from the 2020 Census. Do you believe the electoral districts in South Carolina were redrawn in a fair manner?

 

All Respondents

Republicans (not including leaners)

Democrats (not including leaners)

Yes

31

39

30

No

27

17

41

Don’t know

39

43

26

Refused

3

1

3

 

Last Updated: 2/16/23