The following charts and summaries highlight the major results from the 2024 Claflin Poll, including voter preferences, issue priorities, and demographic trends across South Carolina.
1. Presidential Race Overview
The poll shows a more competitive presidential race in South Carolina, with former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by approximately 7.1 percentage points. The breakdown of likely voter support is as follows:
- Donald Trump
- 49.94%
- Kamala Harris
- 42.84%
- Undecided
- 4.77%
Although Trump holds the lead, the findings suggest a more competitive contest in South Carolina than in previous election cycles.
2. Voter Turnout Expectations
Voter engagement appears high among respondents.
- Definitely Voting
- 69.85%
- Probably Voting
- 11.44%
With more than 80% of respondents indicating that they will definitely or probably vote, South Carolina could experience strong voter turnout.
3. Top Issues Driving the Vote
When asked to identify the most important issue influencing their vote, respondents cited the following:
- Economy and Jobs
- 51.54%
- Immigration
- 12.44%
- Healthcare
- 11.04%
- National Security
- 7.26%
- Climate Change
- 3.78%
The economy and jobs were the leading concerns, ranking as the top priority for more than half of respondents.
4. Satisfaction with National and State Direction
Satisfaction with the Nation's Direction
- Very dissatisfied: 39.30%
- Very satisfied: 6.37%
Satisfaction with South Carolina's Direction
- Somewhat satisfied: 27.06%
- Very satisfied: 8.56%
Respondents reported greater satisfaction with the direction of South Carolina than with the direction of the nation, although dissatisfaction remained notable.
5. Media Consumption and Trust
Primary News Sources
- Television: 43.68%
- Online news: 24.48%
- Social media: 20.90%
Trust in Primary Media Sources
- Completely trust: 14.53%
- Somewhat trust: 43.98%
Trust in media sources remains moderate, with only a small percentage of respondents reporting complete trust in their primary news sources.
Methodology
Learn more about the research design, sampling approach, data collection process, and analytical methods used in the Claflin Poll.
