Toplines - South Carolina GOP Primary May 2026
See Article
See Crosstabs
Platinum Page
Survey of 870 South
Carolina Likely GOP Primary Voters
Conducted May 20-25, 2026 by Pulse Opinion Research
1.
Generally speaking, do you feel
things in this country are going in the right direction, or have they gotten
off on the wrong track?
52% Right direction
39% Wrong track
9% Not sure
2.
President Approval
41% Strongly approve
31% Somewhat approve
9% Somewhat disapprove
17% Strongly
disapprove
1% Not sure
3.
Who did you vote for in the 2024 Presidential
Election?
15% Harris
77% Trump
4% Other
4% Didn't vote
1% Not sure
4.
I am now going to read you a list of national
issues. After listening to the entire list, which is most important to you?
11% Violent crime
20% Illegal
immigration and the border
41% The economy
2% Climate change
2% Abortion
6% Global conflicts & war
3% Education
12% Government
corruption
3% Human and sex trafficking
1% Not sure
5.
When thinking about the economy, which of the
following issues is most important?
14% More jobs
6% High stock market
52% Lowering prices
12% Reducing the
deficit
13% Cutting taxes
2% Not sure
6.
Trump Favorability
42% Very favorable
30% Somewhat favorable
12% Somewhat
unfavorable
16% Very unfavorable
1% Not sure
7.
South Carolina Republican Party Favorability
30% Very favorable
45% Somewhat favorable
10% Somewhat
unfavorable
10% Very unfavorable
4% Not sure
8.
Senator
Lindsey Graham Favorability
21% Very favorable
34% Somewhat favorable
21% Somewhat
unfavorable
19% Very unfavorable
6% Not sure
9.
Republican candidate for Senate, Mark Lynch
Favorability
10% Very favorable
27% Somewhat favorable
17% Somewhat
unfavorable
13% Very unfavorable
33% Not sure
10. If the
South Carolina 2026 Republican primary were held today and the candidates were
Lindsey Graham and Mark Lynch, who would you vote for?
50% Graham
27% Lynch
6% Wouldn't vote
17% Not sure
11. Generic
Ballot
15% Democrat
76% Republican
2% Wouldn't vote
7% Not sure
12. When
thinking about Republican candidates for Senate in South Carolina, how
important is Donald Trump’s endorsement?
37% Very important
31% Somewhat important
13% Not very important
16% Not at all
important
3% Not sure
13. Paul Dans
has ended his campaign for U.S. Senat and has endorsed Mark Lynch. Does Paul
Dans’ endorsement of Mark Lynch make you.
17% More likely
13% Less likely
60% No difference
10% Not sure
14. Suppose a
candidate described themselves as 'America First.' Does that make you.
49% More likely
10% Less likely
35% No difference
6% Not sure
15. What do you
think is better for America?
52% Republican Party
should be more like Trump
30% Trump should be
more like the Republican Party
18% Not sure
16. When
thinking about who you plan to vote for in 2026, what is more important?
30% Local issues
64% National issues
6% Not sure
17. If you knew
that Lindsey Graham was voting to nominate liberal judges, would you be.
19% More likely
53% Less likely
22% No difference
6% Not sure
18. If
you knew that Lindsey Graham was meeting with foreign leaders in order to try to undermine peace efforts, would you be.
15% More likely
67% Less likely
12% No difference
6% Not sure
19. If you knew
Lindsey Graham advocated for raising the retirement age and cutting Social
Security benefits, would that make you?
12% More likely
72% Less likely
13% No difference
4% Not sure
20. If you knew
Lindsey Graham sponsored the law that brought an Afghani refugee to the United
States who later killed a National Guard member in Washington DC, would that
make you.
11% More likely
63% Less likely
19% No difference
7% Not sure
21. If you knew
Lindsey Graham supported allowing the Chinese to purchase US farmland, would
that make you.
7% More likely
72% Less likely
14% No difference
6% Not sure
22. Lindsey Graham has supported legislation
offering amnesty to some illegal immigrants. Does this make you.
14% More likely
53% Less likely
24% No difference
8% Not sure
23. Knowing
what you know now, if the South Carolina 2026 Republican primary were held
today and the candidates were Lindsey Graham, Mark Lynch, and Paul Dans, who
would you vote for?
34% Graham
39% Lynch
9% Wouldn't vote
18% Not sure
24. How certain
are you about your intention to vote for your candidate of choice?
49% Very certain
35% Somewhat certain
11% Not very certain
2% Not at all certain
3% Not sure
25. Which is
closer to your opinion: Your mind is made up about who you will vote for in the
South Carolina Republican Primary, or you are still open to considering another
candidate?
40% Mind is made up
54% Still open to
considering another candidate
6% Not sure
26. Lindsey
Graham has conducted a recent advertisement campaign in South Carolina to smear
Mark Lynch. How effective do you think
this campaign has been?
13% Very effective
25% Somewhat effective
26% Not very effective
15% Not at all
effective
20% Not sure
27. How
familiar are you with the ad campaign Lindsey Graham is running that
erroneously claims Mark Lynch wants to legalize drugs and do away with law
enforcement?
24% Very familiar
27% Somewhat familiar
26% Not very familiar
20% Not at all
familiar
4% Not sure
28. How
effective would you say that these negative Lindsey Graham’s advertisements are
at hurting the Mark Lynch campaign?
27% Very effective
34% Somewhat effective
24% Not very effective
10% Not at all
effective
5% Not sure
29. How much
would you say increased gas prices are affecting your finances?
49% A lot
33% Some
13% Not very much
4% Not at all
1% Not sure
30. Lindsey
Graham supports the Trump administrations attacks on Iran. How likely is it that these attacks have
caused gas prices to increase?
54% Very likely
31% Somewhat likely
6% Not very likely
4% Not at all likely
5% Not sure
31. Who do you
trust more for your political news?
28% Major cable news
channels
15% Network TV news
10% X formerly known
as Twitter
10% Other social media
sites
25% Independent online
sources
12% Not sure
NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage
points with a 95% level of confidence
