Sanders cuts Clinton's Lead by 17% in South Carolina: Clinton 47%, Bernie 28%

The South Carolina New Democrats release the results of their survey of Democrats on the eve of the
Presidential Debate which found Clinton leading Sanders 47% to 28% with O’Malley at 2% and 22%
undecided.

“This is significant lead for Clinton but Sanders is closing fast,” said Phil Noble, President of the SC New
Democrats, “If Shakespeare is right and ‘what’s past is prologue’ then I’m not sure I’d sleep too well if I
were Clinton.

The last South Carolina poll published by Real Clear Politics was a Dec 17, 2015, CBS/YouGov poll that
found Clinton with a 36 point lead with Clinton at 67%, Sanders at 31%, and O’Malley at 2%.
At this point about 45 days prior to the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary, Clinton was 8% ahead of
Obama in a CCN poll and the actual vote was 55-26%, a 29 point Obama margin.
Among key subgroups, the results of the poll were as follows:
-African Americans voters are expected to make up 60% of the primary electorate: Clinton 54%,
Sanders 18% and O’Malley 2%.
- White voters are expected to make up 40% of the primary electorate: Clinton 39%, Sanders 44%,
and O’Malley 2%
- Women voters are expected to make up 60% of the primary electorate: Clinton 48%, Sanders
32% and O’Malley 2%
- Men voters are expected to make up 40% of the primary electorate: Clinton 37%, Sanders 44%
and O’Malley 3%.

Not surprisingly, Democrats least favorite Republican presidential candidate was Donald Trump at 58%
and their second least favorite was Ted Cruz at 22%.
SC Democrats are much more optimistic about the direction of the country (59% right track, 25% wrong
track) than they are about the direction of South Carolina (21% right track, 55% wrong track).

“We believe this poll gives a good snapshot of the state of the race in South Carolina today,” said John
Thevos, Research Director of SC New Democrats who managed the survey. “Most of all, it shows that
things can change very quickly in the Palmetto State and the primary on February 27 could well surprise
lots of folks. Stayed tuned,” said Thevos