Ron Paul Support in South Carolina Surges and Puts Him Solidly in Top Three

Paul benefits from his trademark steady growth and his competitive Iowa, New Hampshire results

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul now polls an even stronger top three in the key early voting state of South Carolina, according to a new survey.

In the latest ARG poll Paul is in third place garnering 20 percent, with Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in first and second place with 29 and 25 percent, respectively.  Other poll highlights include Paul polling strongest of all candidates among independents, and Paul polling strong among Tea Party members.

ARG polled 600 likely Republican primary voters on January 11th and 12th.  Since the last poll of its kind taken January 4th to 5th, Paul gained the most – surging from 9 to 20 percent – while Rick Santorum lost the most, freefalling from 24 to 7 percent.  In the prior poll, Paul was third at 9 percent, Gingrich and Santorum were tied for second at 24 percent, and Romney with 31 percent was first.  Over the life of the ARG poll this presidential cycle, Paul’s support has grown from 1 percent in April when he declared his candidacy to 20 percent, where it is today.

“On the heels of his competitive showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, Ron Paul is now surging in the key early voting state of South Carolina.  In a week’s time the congressman’s support in South Carolina has grown tremendously, attributed to the fact that more voters are learning about his platform of limited government and a return to personal and economic liberty,” said Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman Jesse Benton.