In South Carolina, President Bush's lead is half what it was in our last survey.

The latest Rasmussen Reports numbers show President Bush with 52% of the vote and Senator Kerry with 43%.

In our last survey, Bush was ahead 53% to 36%. In Election 2000, Bush won South Carolina by sixteen percentage points, beating Al Gore 57% to 41%.

South Carolina remains solidly in the Bush category for our Electoral College projections.

In South Carolina, Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly prefer the candidate from their own party. Unaffiliated voters favor Bush over Kerry 53% to 36%.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of all South Carolina voters Approve of the way President Bush is performing his job. That's down two points from our last survey, but well above his national Job Approval rating.

Leading up to the Republican National Convention, we have released state polling data in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio. Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin

Beginning September 1, Rasmussen Reports will expand our Tracking Poll to 1,000 Likely Voters per night. At the same time, we will increase the flow of information provided both on the public site and for our Premium Members.

Premium Service during the final two months of the campaign will include daily tracking for Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania along with provide frequent updates for many other states and key Senate races. Details on the Premium Member enhancements will be released this weekend.

State data will be provided for the public site on a regular, but less frequent, basis.

Rasmussen Reports is an independent public opinion research firm that provides daily updates on the Presidential election and the nation's economic confidence.