EXCLUSIVE — The Buzz: More S.C. voters support deputy than student in Spring Valley incident

The Richland County Sheriff's deputy fired after forcibly removing a Spring Valley High student from her desk – and tossing her across the floor – has many supporters in the Palmetto State, according to a new poll.

Half of S.C. voters – Democrats and Republicans – said the student was "more in the wrong" than the Deputy Ben Fields, and nearly as many – 48 percent – said they oppose Sheriff Leon Lott’s decision to fire Fields.

Those results are from a Nov. 7-8 survey of 1,290 S.C. voters conducted by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling firm and provided exclusively to The Buzz.

The incident between the teen, who refused to leave a classroom when asked, and the deputy exploded on the national consciousness after videos of the incidents surfaced online, sparking a debate about the use of officers and force in the classroom.

The student also has support among S.C. voters, according to the poll, but not as much as the deputy. Thirty percent of respondents said the law enforcement officer was more "in the wrong" than the student. About a third said they supported firing the deputy.

Other poll findings include:

On raising the minimum wage – Thirty-four percent of S.C. voters favor raising the federal minimum wage to $10 an hour from $7.25. Eighteen percent said increase it to $15, and 16 percent said increase it to $12. Another 16 percent said keep it where it is. Twelve percent said eliminate it.

On the impact of same-sex marriage – Fifty-nine percent of S.C. voters said the legalization of same-sex marriage in South Carolina has had no impact on their lives. Thirty percent said they were negatively impacted, and 11 percent said they were positively affected.

Clinton vs. the GOP – Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton would lose against each of seven GOP presidential candidates — the frontrunners and second-tier candidates — in the general election, the poll found. The candidate with the biggest lead over the former secretary of state? Ben Carson. The retired neurosurgeon would get 51 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 39 percent. (The rest are undecided.)

Grain silos or alien pads? – In another poll, PPP found only 7 percent of S.C. GOP voters agree with Carson that the Egyptian pyramids were used to store grain. Seventy-five percent said they were used to bury the dead. And 3 percent said aliens used them.

Fighting for next to last

At least one Republican presidential candidate thinks U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is a threat – other than the Seneca Republican himself.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore has a bone to pick with Graham and a super PAC supporting the Upstate Republican’s presidential bid.

The beef started when the Security Is Strength PAC ran an ad last week criticizing Graham’s omission from the Fox Business Network’s debate Tuesday.

“On the eve of Veteran’s Day, Republicans gather to debate the important issues facing our great nation, yet the only veteran in the field has been silenced,” the ad’s voice-over says of Graham, polling ahead of only Gilmore in an average of national polls on the GOP presidential nomination.

The only problem?

Gilmore is a veteran, too. (And, in case you didn’t know, Gilmore also is running for president.)

Then, campaigning in New Hampshire, Graham sought to distinguish himself from other candidates as someone who has “actually seen the enemy.”

Gilmore told The Buzz last week that he is “very respectful” of Graham’s military service. “But he needs to be just as respectful of me,” said Gilmore, adding was in the U.S. Army during the Cold War.

“I've called on him to have his super PAC to withdraw that ad,” Gilmore said, adding he had not heard back from anyone.

Graham’s campaign said they had not heard from Gilmore, whose spokesperson said their request was communicated “publicly.”

The Buzz emailed the Security Is Strength asking for a response but received none.

Buzz bites

Sennate President Pro Tempore Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, announced Tuesday that his chief of staff, Robby Dawkins, is retiring after working with Leatherman for nearly three decades. Dawkins will be Leatherman’s Senate district liaison in the Pee Dee, Leatherman wrote in a Facebook post.

2016 in SC

▪  Carson, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley: All three presidential candidates will participate in 20/20 Leaders of America's Presidential Justice Forum at Allen University in Columbia Saturday.

▪ Ted Cruz: The Republican will speak at Florence Baptist Temple in Florence Sunday. He also will headline town-hall meetings at Horry-Georgetown Technical College's Burroughs & Chapin Auditorium in Conway Sunday and Sun City in Bluffton on Monday. The U.S. senator from Texas also will hold a meet-and-greet at the College of Charleston Monday.

▪  Sanders: The Democrat will speak Friday at state Sen. Marlon Kimpson’s Presidential Town Hall in Charleston and at the Charleston Blue Jamboree in North Charleston on Saturday.

▪  Donald Trump: The Republican will speak Friday at a Commander-in-Chief Presidential Forum at Wofford College in Spartanburg.

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 1:17 PM with the headline "EXCLUSIVE — The Buzz: More S.C. voters support deputy than student in Spring Valley incident."