Jobs, economy key factors for S.C. voters

Voters preoccupied with concerns about jobs, the economy and health care helped drive John Edwards’ victory in Tuesday’s South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, according to exit polls for The Associated Press.

Four of five voters in the first-in-the-South contest called the economy poor or not so good and about half said the economy and jobs were their top issues. Nearly one in five said they decided who to vote for based on their concerns about health care and Medicare. Seneca native John Edwards, a North Carolina senator, was favored among those voters.

Edwards picked up nearly half of the votes among those who see a soured economy compared with three in 10 for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. Edwards picked up half the votes of people who said the economy and jobs were their top issue, twice as many as Kerry.

Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International conducted the poll of 2,033 voters for The Associated Press and television networks. Results were subject to sampling error of 3 percentage points, higher for subgroups.

Economic concerns have been prominent fixtures on the stump here as shuttered factories became backdrops for candidates talking about factory workers losing jobs to international trade. No one played to those concerns more than Edwards, who began airing that message in television ads last summer.

“You have to see what’s more important,” said Mariscia Thompson, 34, of Newberry. “I don’t care if you’ve saved five people in the Vietnam War.”

Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark were expected to capitalize on the military vote. Both hit the airwaves with ads showing them in uniform and with testimonials to their work. On Tuesday, Clark pulled fewer veteran votes than Al Sharpton. Edwards, with no military experience, pulled slightly more veteran votes than Kerry.

More than half of the voters said that they chose a candidate who agrees with them on major issues. Edwards picked up half of those votes; Kerry won half as many votes among that group.

“His message is very populist,” said Neil Thigpen, a Francis Marion University political scientist. “That’s the Bill Clinton quality in terms of being able to make people feel he really cares. ... It may be time for a little populism.”

Edwards also was stronger among white voters who earn less than $30,000 a year. He picked up half that vote to one-third for Kerry.

The war in Iraq was a top concern for only about one of 10 voters, but almost three-fourths said they disapprove of President Bush’s decision to start it. Still, one of five voters said they approved of that decision and Edwards picked up half that vote.

The poll showed one-fourth of the voters describe themselves as political independents, with Edwards winning half that vote — double Kerry’s margin. Three of five said they were moderates or conservatives, and Edwards picked up half that vote while Kerry picked up less than a third.

Voters were split on what they wanted most in candidates. Two in 10 said they wanted someone who “cares about people like me.” It was the most frequent response, and Edwards picked up well over half that vote and Kerry a fifth.

About the same number said they wanted a candidate who “can defeat George W. Bush.” Kerry picked up more than half that vote and Edwards less than a third.

The state’s status in the Bible Belt was evident, too. More than half the voters said they go to church weekly. Edwards was popular with that group, picking up half their votes, and Kerry less than a third.

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