Targoz Fields Statewide South Carolina Policy Poll for the South Carolina Policy Council

Targoz Market Research fielded the South Carolina Policy Council’s 2026 Winter Poll, a statewide online survey of 1,200 registered South Carolina voters conducted January 24 through February 1, 2026.

The poll explored voter attitudes on state tax policy, government spending, transparency, education, judicial reform, energy policy, and the 2026 governor’s race.

Among the released findings, 72% of South Carolina voters said they supported reducing or eliminating the state income tax. The results showed broad interest in tax relief, spending restraint, and government transparency across the electorate.

The survey also found that South Carolina voters were dissatisfied with the direction of the country and skeptical that higher government spending has improved outcomes. On the 2026 governor’s race, the Republican primary remained wide open: Rep. Nancy Mace led named candidates with 18%, while 43% of likely Republican primary voters were undecided. On the Democratic side, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson led with 25%.

The full results are available from the South Carolina Policy Council: https://www.scpolicycouncil.org/the_south_carolina_policy_council_s_2026_winter_poll

Methodology: Statewide online survey of 1,200 registered South Carolina voters. Fieldwork was conducted January 24–February 1, 2026. Margin of error: +/-2.77 percentage points.