CAMPAIGN ’88 : Bush Tops Carolina Poll

Bush has a 12-point lead over Dole among Republicans and Democrats likely to vote March 5 in South Carolina’s open primary, a poll published Friday indicates.

The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer said Bush was leading Dole 41% to 29% in South Carolina, with former religious broadcaster Pat Robertson far back at 13%. Twelve percent of those polled Feb. 22-24 said they were undecided and 4% said they favored New York Rep. Jack Kemp.

The poll also showed that Robertson will suffer from the fallout of the sex scandal involving Jimmy Swaggart, a television evangelist who has admitted consorting with a prostitute.

One-third of the voters surveyed said the Swaggart sex scandal will hurt Robertson, and half of the voters who responded said they would feel uncomfortable with a television evangelist as President.