Trump was pronounced the victor shortly after the polls closed, and the former South Carolina governor was distraught by the loss in his home state.
In her home state of South Carolina, Nikki Haley was soundly defeated by Donald Trump, effectively ending any chance she had of securing the nomination. The Associated Press announced that Trump had won the South Carolina primary as the polls closed at 7 p.m. ET, highlighting his resounding win in Haley’s home state. Trump received over 60% of the vote, with Haley receiving about 40%.. Voters in the Palmetto State have traditionally chosen the party’s eventual nominee, and Trump is predicted to win the Republican nomination many months ahead of the party’s summer convention in Milwaukee.
Trump addressed the crowd during his victory celebration in Columbia, saying, “I just want to say that I have never seen the Republican party so unified as it is right now.” This evening is amazing. It’s such a beautiful early evening.
With wins and delegates in Nevada, New Hampshire, and Iowa, Trump has dominated the states with early voting. Since Haley served as his UN ambassador, losing in her home state would give another severe blow to her candidacy and further distance her from winning the nomination. Speaking to supporters in Charleston, Haley insisted that despite suffering four straight losses, she will not concede the race and that Trump will not be able to defeat Joe Biden in the general election.
I witnessed myself today how dissatisfied South Carolina is with the direction our nation is heading. I’ve observed similar unhappiness across the nation. I agree with that. From the bottom of my heart, I agree with it,” Haley stated. “This past week, I declared that I would not give up on my
presidential campaign, regardless of South Carolina’s outcome. I’m a lady who honors her word.
In advance of Super Tuesday on March 5, Haley’s team revealed on Friday that it would be starting a “seven-figure” national TV and digital buy. She is scheduled to hold a rally in Michigan on Sunday, the day before the primary on February 27. After that, she is going to go on a cross-country trip that will pass through multiple states that are Super Tuesdays.
Her resolve to withdraw from the race has angered Trump and his allies. They assert that Haley, who has compared herself to David going up against Goliath, has no chance of succeeding and is merely postponing the inevitable by relying on wealthy backers to fund her improbable campaign.
The Trump campaign’s Steven Cheung said before the votes closed on Saturday: “The truth is that Haley’s campaign has now evolved into a full-fledged Never Trump operation with her as Crooked Joe Biden’s biggest surrogate.” With the primary now concluded, focus can turn to the general election.
Haley’s supporters, meanwhile, assert that her presence in the campaign acts as a useful reminder of what the Republican party’s prospective future face might include. There are conjectures that Haley, 52, is positioning herself as the obvious backup option in the rare event that Trump is unable to serve as the party’s nominee, or maybe as a springboard for a prospective presidential comeback.
Apart from being accused of 91 felonies, Trump has also utilized the funds from his campaign to help cover the mounting expenses of his legal defense in addition to paying hefty fines. Haley tells voters during her rallies that it is “not normal” for a candidate to ask for money from the public to cover his legal bills or to spend longer in the courtroom than during the trial.
However, Trump’s legal issues—partially brought on by his attempts to rig the 2020 presidential election and his participation in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6th—have only served to increase his base of support.
Already, the Trump team has turned its attention to Biden’s general election opponent, who is handily securing his party’s nomination without having to contend with a major primary challenge. Though Trump’s campaign has moved swiftly to take control of the RNC, it is expected that the group will remain neutral throughout the primary.