South Carolina
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% |
