South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has a 10 point lead over Democratic challenger and state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, according to a new poll released by Winthrop University on Oct. 1. The poll also shows Haley, the state’s first female and Indian-American governor, lead with a 43.6 percent to Sheheen’s 33.6 percent margin.
Independent Tom Ervin got 3.9 percent of the votes, while 12.4 percent said they were undecided.
A CBS News/NYT/YouGov poll in August showed Haley with a 21 point lead over Sheheen, the largest since polling began last October, and up from 17 points in the previous CBS survey in July. Another, from Rasmussen, gave Haley a 15 point lead, UPI.com reported.
Meanwhile ABC News reports that more than half of the voters surveyed about the governor’s race say they are fairly pleased with South Carolina’s economy, which is listed as one of the most important problems to South Carolinians along with jobs and education.
According to the poll, the majority of South Carolinians are in favor of their incumbents, but not in favor of the president or Congress.
Almost half of voters polled, 46.7 percent, favor U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham over Democratic challenger Brad Hutto of Orangeburg, who drew 28 percent of the votes.
The poll surveyed 1,082 likely voters in the Palmetto State.