Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, tied Texas Governor Rick Perry and pizza magnate Herman Cain for 3rd place in the latest American Research Group poll of likely South Carolina Republican primary voters. Paul and Perry finished with 8 percent of the votes each and Cain earned 10 percent of the votes. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich garnered 33 percent of the votes to earn 1st place. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney pulled in 22 percent of the votes to finish in 2nd place.
Paul’s support in South Carolina has risen steadily since an April 2011 American Research Group poll that found the Texas Congressman with just 1 percent in South Carolina. In July, Paul pulled in 2 percent of the votes. However, Paul jumped to 7 percent of the votes in an October poll. It should be noted that the margin of error places Paul and Perry in a statistical tie with Cain for 3rd place in the latest South Carolina poll.
While Paul’s support didn’t change much from October to November, Cain and Gingrich nearly switched places. In October, Cain pulled in 26 percent of the votes to edge out Romney for 1st place. In November, Cain is down to just 10 percent of the votes and Gingrich is firmly in first with 33 percent of the votes. Back in October, Gingrich had only 8 percent of the votes.
Perry’s support in the latest South Carolina has also changed dramatically since October. In the American Research Group’s October poll of likely South Carolina Republican primary voters, Perry pulled in 15 percent of the votes for a 3rd place finish. However, Perry’s failure to remember the 3rd federal agency he would eliminate at the Michigan debate may have doomed his chance of finishing in the top tier in the South Carolina primary.
While Paul has been concentrating his campaign efforts in New Hampshire and Iowa, he held a Veterans Rally and Meet and Greet in Spartanburg, South Carolina on November 12.
American Research Group surveyed 600 likely South Carolina Republican primary voters from November 25 to November 28. The South Carolina poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
