Political Wire

SubscribeSign in
  • Front Page
  • Trending
  • Polling
  • Trial Balloon
  • Books
  • Membership
    • Members FAQ
    • Exclusive Analysis
    • My Favorites
  • Sign In
Theme
Text size

Just dropped · Trial Balloon · Ep. 195

Shake Up

A new episode of Trial Balloon just dropped for Political Wire members. Log in or become a member

Trial Balloon · Ep. 195: Shake Up

South Carolina Focus Group Sizes Up Trump

February 12, 2016 · 9:57 am ET · 12 Comments

NBC News: “A focus group sponsored by The Riley Institute at Furman University and moderated by pollster Peter Hart revealed significant anxiety among some GOP primary voters about Trump as a candidate, but all of the ten participants said they would still support Trump over Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup, and all but two said they expect him to win the state’s primary next Saturday.”

“Asked to name the candidate most capable of beating the Democratic nominee in November, only one participant named the current GOP frontrunner. But while a majority called Trump divisive, all but three in the group said his candidacy has had a net positive effect on the party by mobilizing disaffected voters.”

Limited-time offer

Try Political Wire Free for 60 days

Members get Talking Points analysis, Trending News, the Polling Dashboard, the Trial Balloon podcast, new site features and no ads.

Start your free trial.


2016 Campaign Donald Trump

← PreviousClinton Finds Her Running MateNext →Playing Trump

Keep reading

Front page →

Political Wire is reader-supported. Join for ad-free reading, member posts and new features →

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

More about Taegan Goddard →

?Political Trivia

  • The Way It Was
    Eight moments in political history. Put them on a timeline.
    Play →
  • Yea or Nay?
    Five senators. Three bills. Can you guess how they all voted?
    Play →
  • Split Decision
    Nine Justices. One case. How did they rule?
    Play →
  • Pollster
    Do you have your finger on the pulse of America?
    Play →
  • Daily Trivia
    Four questions a day.
    Play →

A new game every day.

Your Account

Members

For the full experience, sign in.

Become a Member

Read everything on Political Wire. No ads, Talking Points analysis, Trial Balloon podcast, new features and more.

  • Join Political Wire
  • Gift a Membership

Members Only

  • The Path Around the Electoral College Remains Blocked
  • Weekly News Quiz
  • Schumer Has a Huge Advantage in Leadership Fight
  • The Three Forces Behind the Democratic Landslide
  • Bigger, Bluer Than Expected
  • Trump’s Successor Trap

More members only posts →

Electoral Map Electoral Vote Map

222Democrat 97Toss-up 219Republican
270

Make your own map →

The starting map is built from how each state has voted compared with the country as a whole, not from how a state voted on its own. The last two presidential elections, with 2024 counting more than 2020. Then we…

Updated Nov. 4, 2026

?Political Trivia

  • The Way It Was →
  • Yea or Nay? →
  • Split Decision →
  • Pollster →
  • Daily Trivia →

Copyright © 2026 · Goddard Media LLC

Political Wire® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC

Also from Goddard Media: Political Dictionary · Political Job Hunt · Electoral Vote Map

Privacy PolicyCorrections PolicyContact