Poll Watch: American Research Group South Carolina 2012 Republican Primary Survey

ARG South Carolina 2012 GOP Primary Poll

• Mitt Romney 29% [31%] (22%) {25%} [25%] (18%)
• Newt Gingrich 25% [24%] (33%) {8%} [3%] (9%)
• Ron Paul 20% [9%] (8%) {7%} [2%] (1%)
• Rick Perry 9% [2%] (8%) {15%} [6%] 
• Rick Santorum 7% [24%] (1%) {1%} [2%] (1%)
• Jon Huntsman 1% [2%] (3%) {0%} [0%] (0%) 
• Other 2%
• Undecided 7% [7%] (12%) {12%} [15%] (11%)

Among Republicans

• Newt Gingrich 29% [25%]  
  
• Mitt Romney 29% [30%]
• Ron Paul 18% [9%]
• Rick Perry 8% [2%] 
• Rick Santorum 7% [25%]
  
• Jon Huntsman 1% [1%]
• Other 2%
• Undecided 6% [7%]

Among Tea Party Supporters

• Newt Gingrich 28% [33%]
• Mitt Romney 24% [30%]
• Ron Paul 20% [9%]
• Rick Santorum 11% [19%]
  
• Rick Perry 9% [0%]
• Jon Huntsman 0% [1%]
• Other 2%
• Undecided 6% [8%]

Among Non-Tea Party GOP Primary Voters

• Mitt Romney 33% [32%]
• Newt Gingrich 23% [17%] 
• Ron Paul 21% [10%]
• Rick Perry 8% [4%]
• Jon Huntsman 3% [2%]
• Rick Santorum 3% [27%]
• Other 2%
• Undecided 7% [6%]

Among Evangelical Christians

• Newt Gingrich 40%
• Rick Perry 15%
• Mitt Romney 13%
• Rick Santorum 12%
• Ron Paul 10%
  
• Jon Huntsman 0%
• Other 2%
  
• Undecided 8%

Among Non-Evangelical Christians

• Mitt Romney 48%
• Ron Paul 33%
• Newt Gingrich 7%
  
• Jon Huntsman 3%
• Rick Perry 1%
• Rick Santorum 1%
• Other 2%
  
• Undecided 5%

Survey of 600 likely Republican primary voters (476 Republicans, 120 independents, and 4 Democrats) was conducted January 11-12, 2012. The margin of error is ± 4 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: Republican: 79% [84%] (74%) {81%} [79%] (76%); Independent: 21% [16%] (26%) {19%} [21%] (24%). Tea Party supporter: 47% [46%] (46%) {47%} [51%] (52%); Not a Tea Party supporter/Undecided: 53% [54%] (54%) {53%} [49%] (48%).  Preference by Evangelical Christian: Yes: 56%; No: 44%.   Results from the poll conducted January 4-5, 2012 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted November 25-28, 2011 are in Results from the poll conducted October 5-10, 2011 are in curly brackets.  Results from the poll conducted July 12-17, 2011 are in square brackets.  Results from the poll conducted April 18-23, 2011 are in parentheses.