South Carolina Statehouse Blog

SPRATT’S UNFAVORABLE RATINGS EXPLODING, MULVANEY’S NUMBERS RISING

Rock Hill, S.C. — May 27, 2010 — Fourteen-term Liberal incumbent John Spratt — who served as Nancy Pelosi’s chief architect and sponsor of the Obamacare health care bill — is in his most precarious re-election position to date, according to new polling data released today.

Meanwhile, state Senator Mick Mulvaney’s campaign is quickly gaining momentum even at this early stage in the race.

In a poll conducted by the firm Public Opinion Strategies from May 17-18, the news is all bad for Spratt:

On a generic ballot, Republicans now lead Democrats in South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District by a margin of 45 percent to 36 percent. Almost 60% of those polled believe that it is time for a new person to be elected, and only 30% believe Spratt deserves to be re-elected.

What’s worse for Spratt is that his own favorability rankings in the district he’s represented for a quarter century are plummeting. In October of last year, he enjoyed a 51 percent approval rating in his district. That has dropped to 42 percent during the interceding months, while the percentage of voters with an unfavorable view of him has soared — from 19 percent to 33 percent. Critical independent voters — who make up a large portion of the District — view him unfavorably overall, by a margin of 9 points.

Meanwhile, with only an old-fashioned grassroots effort so far, Senator Mick Mulvaney’s message of less spending, lower taxes, and fiscal responsibility is gaining traction with voters.

All of that combines for a head-to-head ballot showing the race functionally tied. Last October, Spratt enjoyed a considerable 48-35 margin. And among energized voters — those most likely to vote in November — Mulvaney leads by a stunning 7 points.

“John Spratt may not have been paying attention to what was in which version of the healthcare bill, but he can rest assured that voters have been watching — and it’s clear that they don’t like what they see,” Mulvaney said. “Congressman Spratt has lost touch with his constituents, and there’s no clearer evidence of that than his voting record — a stimulus bill that didn’t create jobs, a healthcare takeover that will drive up costs for businesses, and massive debt and spending that will put future generations on the hook for trillions. The message is loud and clear: voters are ready to change Congress. At this early stage in the race, we are very pleased to see the tide turning.”