New poll shows Democratic challenger narrowing gap in South Carolina governor's race

A Hart Research Associates poll commissioned by Jermaine Johnson’s campaign was released Thursday, revealing a possible tightening of the South Carolina governor’s contest between Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson and Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson. Conducted from Aug. 12-15 with 600 likely voters, the poll showed Wilson with a 38% favorable rating versus Johnson’s 36%, while many respondents did not recognize either name.

In a direct vote-choice question, 50% said they would support Wilson compared with 42% for Johnson, narrowing the earlier eight-point gap reported in a July Public Policy Polling survey. When participants read comprehensive biographies of both candidates, Wilson’s lead shrank to just two points, 48% to 46%, within the margin of error. Johnson’s biography highlighted his rise from poverty to a college basketball scholarship, a professional playing career, advanced degrees, and a nonprofit focused on job placement, whereas Wilson’s profile emphasized his decorated military service and tenure as the nation’s youngest state attorney general. The poll appears alongside an Impact Research poll that found the Senate race between Annie Andrews and Darline Graham Nordone deadlocked at 41% each, underscoring a competitive political environment in the state.