Perry, Romney Lead Pack in South Carolina Poll

By Steven Shepard  //  September 20, 2011 | 9:08 a.m.
Updated: September 22, 2011 | 7:50 a.m.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney lead the Republican presidential field in the early primary state of South Carolina, according to a new Winthrop University poll released early Tuesday.

Among those who say they are "definitely" planning to vote in the 2012 Republican presidential primary, Perry, who announced his bid for the White House in the Palmetto State last month, leads Romney, 31 percent to 27 percent, with no other candidates in double-digits.

Businessman Herman Cain was third at eight percent, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin followed with six percent. Trailing the rest of the field were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at five percent; Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, at four percent; Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., at four percent; former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at two percent; and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., at two percent. Eleven percent were undecided.

When asked which candidate was most likely to win the Republican nomination, 35 percent of definite GOP voters chose Perry, compared to 29 percent who backed Romney.

In the previous Winthrop poll, conducted in April, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee led the GOP field, with Romney trailing close behind. Perry was not included in the April poll. The Winthrop poll was conducted Sept. 11-18, surveying 596 registered Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, for a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percent. For the subsample of definite GOP primary voters, the margin of error is +/- 4.6 percent.

Read & Post Comments
Leave A Comment
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus
Follow National Journal
About

Staff


Reid Wilson, Editor-in-Chief
Steve Shepard, Executive Editor
Julie Sobel, Editor
Kevin Brennan, Deputy Editor


Disclaimer


On Call editors reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments. The Hotline, National Journal Group, Inc. and Atlantic Media Company are not responsible for the content of the comments that remain.