Nikki Haley lags behind Donald Trump in South Carolina weeks before pivotal Republican primary, poll says
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is trailing former President Donald Trump in a new poll in the Palmetto State as the pair are set to compete in Haley's home state's Republican presidential primary later this month.
The Washington Post and Monmouth University poll, released Thursday, shows Trump leading Haley by 26 percentage points, with 58% of potential voters surveyed backing the former president.
The survey also shows that Trump's support has remained steady in South Carolina. A poll conducted by Emerson College at the start of the year found Trump with a similar lead in the state, garnering 54% support. The survey asked voters their preferences weeks before the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire primary, and before several GOP candidates ending their campaigns.
South Carolinians also said they find Trump more favorable than Haley in the latest poll, with 66% saying they had a positive impression of the former president compared to 45% who said the same about their former governor.
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But even as the former United Nations ambassador struggles to catch up with Trump, Haley's prospects seem to improve significantly beyond the Republican primary.
In a hypothetical general election match-up with President Joe Biden, Haley wins 47% to 42%, according to a Quinnipiac University poll published Wednesday.
Haley has often touted her general election prospects against Biden on the campaign trail.
“You can't fix anything if you don't win in November,” Haley told a crowd in North Charleston, South Carolina, last week, during her first campaign stop back in the state.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley trails Donald Trump in new South Carolina primary poll
