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Exit polls: Trump wins SC backed by whites, older voters

By SEANNA ADCOX, Associated Press
By SEANNA ADCOX, Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Republican Donald Trump won South Carolina's nine electoral votes, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in a state that has backed the GOP nominee in every presidential election since 1976.

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Here's a look at some results of exit polling conducted for The Associated Press and television networks in the state:

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HOW SOUTH CAROLINA VOTED

More than 6 in 10 white voters cast ballots for Trump, while 9 in 10 blacks chose Clinton. Trump and Clinton were nearly evenly split among voters with college degrees while Trump carried nearly 6 in 10 who said they had no college degrees.

A vast majority of those who consider themselves to be white, evangelical voters - more than 8 in 10 - backed Trump, while about one-tenth supported Clinton.

Clinton and Trump were largely split among voters ages 18-44, while about 6 in 10 voters 45 and older backed the Republican.

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THE RIGHT STUFF FOR PRESIDENT?

Two-thirds of South Carolina voters said they didn't view Clinton as honest and trustworthy, with more than half saying the same of Trump.

In choosing a president, nearly 5 in 10 voters said they cared most about the ability to bring about needed change. Otherwise, voters were largely split among caring about good judgment, the "right experience" and a candidate who "cares about people like me."

The exit poll of 895 South Carolina voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research in a random sample of 15 precincts statewide. Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.

Trump takes South Carolina; Sen. Scott elected to full term

Voters in solidly Republican South Carolina chose Donald Trump for president over Hillary Clinton and elected U.S. Sen. Tim Scott to his first full term.

Trump won the state's nine electoral votes Tuesday. He needs 270 to win the presidency.

SPECIAL SECTION: Vote 2016

More than 6 in 10 white voters cast ballots for Trump, while 9 in 10 blacks chose Clinton. A vast majority of those who consider themselves to be white, evangelical voters - nearly 8 in 10 - backed Trump, while about one-fifth supported Clinton, according to exit polling conducted for The Associated Press and television networks in the state.

Columbia resident Joy Strange, 45, didn't like either candidate.

"I think no matter who's elected, we all lose," she said after voting. Regarding her choice for president, she said, "We've had an actor, a peanut farmer, career politicians. Why not a businessman?"

Gov. Nikki Haley and other Republicans reluctantly supported Trump. Haley initially backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio before saying she'd back Ted Cruz of Texas over Trump.

But when Trump's nomination became inevitable, the second-term Republican said she'd support her party's nominee.

Other Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, said they'd back neither Trump nor Clinton.

Republicans hold all statewide elected offices in South Carolina and control both legislative chambers.

Nearly complete returns showed Trump winning South Carolina by a larger margin than Mitt Romney. In 2012, Romney received nearly 55 percent of the vote to carry the state by 10.5 percentage points. Trump had a 16-percentage-point lead over Clinton with 56 percent of the vote.

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CONGRESSIONAL RACES

All seven of South Carolina's incumbent congressmen are returning to Washington.

In the only statewide race, Scott easily defeated Democrat Thomas Dixon to secure his first full term in the seat he's held since January 2013.

Scott became the South's first black senator since Reconstruction when Haley appointed him to fill the seat vacated by GOP Sen. Jim DeMint, who resigned to lead a conservative think tank. Voters elected Scott in 2014 to fulfill the remaining two years of DeMint's term.

Former Gov. Mark Sanford defeated Dimitri Cherny to win his second full term to the House's coastal 1st District since he won a special election in 2013 to replace Scott. Sanford represented the district for three terms before becoming governor. A 2009 scandal in which he admitted to an extramarital affair derailed his remaining tenure in that office.

Reps. Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy and Mick Mulvaney all easily won fourth terms to the 3rd, 4th and 5th House districts, respectively.

Mulvaney's opponent, Democrat Fran Person, was by far the best-financed challenger among the seven. The former aide to Vice President Joe Biden, who touted his family's military service in the district that includes Shaw Air Force Base, raised $621,000 total for the contest as of last month. But that was still half of Mulvaney's total collections.

Rep. Joe Wilson easily won a ninth term representing the 2nd District, while South Carolina's newest congressman, Rep. Tom Rice, won a third term representing the 7th, a district added after the 2010 Census, which includes Myrtle Beach.

South Carolina's longest-serving congressman and only Democrat, 12-term U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, defeated Republican Laura Sterling in the majority-minority 6th District.

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LEGISLATURE

Republicans picked up two seats in the South Carolina House.

Rick Martin easily won the Newberry County seat held for the last 20 years by retiring Democrat Walt McLeod.

Lin Bennett, former chairwoman of the Charleston County GOP, easily won the seat long held by former House Speaker Bobby Harrell. Democrats picked up the seat in 2014, shortly after Harrell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor campaign finance violations and was forced to resign.

In the state Senate, all six incumbents facing challengers were re-elected.

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