US Senate race in South Carolina even, new poll finds

HAMDEN, Conn. (WCIV) — The race for a U.S. Senate seat from South Carolina is in a virtual tie, a new poll found Thursday.

According to the Quinnipiac University Poll, 44 percent of voters supported Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, while 44 percent backed Democrat Jaime Harrison.

The poll found that Graham had strong support from fellow Republicans at a 89 to 5 percent margin. Harrison enjoyed even more solid approval from Democrats at 94 to 3 percent.

Among independents, Harrison had more backers at a 47 to 37 percent clip.

Graham has held the U.S. Senate seat since 2003. In the past three elections—2002, 2008 and 2014—he won the general election with ease finishing with double digits. But now he’s in a tight race with Harrison, a newcomer who finds himself right in the middle of the fight with less than 90 days to go.

Gibbs Knotts, political science professor at the College of Charleston said the numbers are impressive, but Harrison still has a lot of voters to win over between now and then, and clenching the Independents will be a major component.

“For Jaime Harrison, it’s a tribute to his ability to raise money and get his message. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing either a Jaime Harrison ad or a Lindsay Graham ad,” Knotts said. “I’d still say Lindsay Graham is the favorite, but this is very positive news for the Harrison campaign and somewhat concerning for Lindsay Graham. But, it’s really hard for a Republican to lose statewide so it’s tough for a Democrat like Jaime Harrison. That’s a tall order to be able to overcome the party advantage that Republicans have in South Carolina.”

The poll also asked voters the reason why they would choose Harrison over Graham. 25 percent said mainly because they like Harrison. 57-percent said it’s because they oppose Graham and for 13 percent of voters, it’s Harrison’s party affiliation.

Of the poll's results, both campaigns sent statements to ABC News 4.

“This is the second major, non-partisan poll in three days illustrating the energy that Jaime Harrison and this campaign feel on the ground each and every day across South Carolina,” Jaime Harrison campaign spokesperson Guy King said. “Voters here are fed up with a senior senator who after 25 years has lost all touch with the struggles facing families here. South Carolinians are looking to elect an official in this seat who once again leads with their values and integrity.”

Graham's team largely dismissed the poll, citing the campaign's own numbers.

"We learned long ago not to put much confidence in media polls or outside groups who don't understand South Carolina politics. It's not our goal to generate buzz or clicks but to win a campaign. And our internal polling shows we are on track to accomplish that goal," said T.W. Arrighi, the campaign communications director for Graham's campaign.

Arrighi also noted that 31 percent of respondents identified as Republicans and that South Carolina usually has a higher percentage than that of GOP supporters across the state.

With just a few months to go until Election Day, there are still voters up for grabs in the Palmetto State. 13 percent of respondents to the poll said they could change their minds about who they'll vote for. Nine percent of folks said they were undecided at this point on who they'll chose.

The full poll can be found by clicking here.