South Carolina primary: Trump beats Haley in her home state, moves closer to 2024 Prez bid

SOUTH CAROLINA: Former US President Donald J Trump came another step closer to getting the Republican Presidential nomination by registering a landslide victory in the South Carolina primary on Saturday and defeating GOP rival Nikki Haley at her home turf, casting grave doubt on her long-term viability.

According to CNN, Trump’s dominance in South Carolina was ‘hardly surprising’, as the state is considered among the “most conservative” in the country and has backed the former President every time he’s been on the ballot.

In the primary held on Saturday, Trump secured 59.8 per cent of the GOP votes and 44 delegates, lying at a wide margin from Nikki Haley who got 39.5 per cent votes and only three delegates, as per the data projected by CNN.

According to a CNN exit poll of primary voters in the state, more than 4 in 10 described themselves as being affiliated with the MAGA movement, while roughly 8 in 10 described themselves as conservative. Only a third of respondents acknowledged President Joe Biden as the “rightful winner” of the 2020 election.

There was not much doubt about the final result in South Carolina, as most polls already showed Trump with a 25-30 points lead.

Even after the results, Trump exuded confidence in getting into a 2020 rematch with incumbent Joe Biden. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Trump said he is not sure Nikki Haley is “even really in the race” adding that he is focused on beating President Biden in the general election in November.

“I was honoured that I received the largest vote in the history of the state — I’m with Senator Lindsey Graham right now and he just told me we received the largest vote by double — we beat the last record,” Trump said. “So that’s a great compliment to all of the people and to making America great again”, he said.

On being asked whether he wanted Nikki Haley to drop out of the race, Trump said that he’s “really not thinking about that… I’m not thinking about it”. “I’m really thinking about we have to beat Joe Biden”, he told Fox News Digital. “I don’t know if she’s in the race at all, because, you know, I have set records in every single state. I’m not sure that she’s really in the race.”

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley has maintained that she is not quitting the race and will continue her White House bid claiming that a significant disapprove of both Biden and Trump.

Speaking in Charleston, Haley said, “I’m a woman of my word,” referring to her earlier remarks about staying in the presidential race until Super Tuesday. “I’m not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”

Haley admitted that she lost by a wide margin. However, she highlighted “40 per cent is not some tiny group.” She stated that even though she has lost four states to Trump. However, there are many more states where people have not still voted, CNN reported.

She said, “In the next 10 days, another 21 states and territories will speak. They have the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate.” She added, “And I have a duty to give them that choice”.

After the South Carolina results, the contest now shifts into a new gear starting now. The slow march through the early voting states is over and the primary is now a national one

By March 12, 56 per cent of the delegates to the Republican National Convention will have been awarded. In most states, Republicans’ delegates are ‘winner-take-all’ — which means Haley gets no credit for strong second-place showings, as reported by CNN.

As Haley has remained winless so far, the finish line — 1,215 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination — could be in sight for Trump within weeks.

The next test comes Tuesday in Michigan’s primary, though state Republicans have opted to award their delegates partially through the primary and partially through a caucus convention days later. It will be followed by caucuses in Idaho and Missouri, along with primaries in North Dakota. Then, on Super Tuesday, 36 per cent of the party’s delegates are at stake.

Trump won the GOP nomination in 2016, went on to become the President and ran all but a select few Republican critics out of office or the party, then stormed into the 2024 race despite facing multiple indictments. Trump’s success in Haley’s home state, underscores the dominance and command Trump holds within his party. Most Republican voters are all in on Trump.

The results have raised serious concerns over the future of Nikki Haley’s campaign. It was considered that Haley’s voters consist of a ‘theoretical coalition’ This includes moderate Republicans, particularly suburban, college-educated voters who have fled the party since Trump’s ascension in 2016. It also consists of independents allowed to vote in Republican primaries in some states, such as New Hampshire and South Carolina, as per CNN.

But, the results have again shown that coalition isn’t showing up for Haley, at least not in enough force to bring any substantial effect.

Meanwhile, Haley’s campaign has announced a ‘swing’ through Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado and Utah starting Sunday. She’s also spending money on television and digital advertising targeting the states that vote on Super Tuesday on March 5.

“In the next 10 days, another 21 states and territories will speak. They have the right to a real choice, not a Soviet-style election with only one candidate,” Haley said in her concession speech.

But, whether the former UN Ambassador will actually be able to notch any wins and emerge as a serious challenge to Trump in the delegate race, is a tougher question.

Another important result of South Carolina’s primary might be the relationship between Trump and his onetime 2024 GOP primary rival, Senator Tim Scott, who is speculated to be in consideration for the vice presidential nomination, CNN reported.

He campaigned with Trump, appeared alongside him in a Fox News town hall and other interviews, and urged Haley — who appointed him to his Senate seat when she was governor — to get out of the race. (ANI)