Donald Trump secured a significant victory in South Carolina’s Republican primary, defeating former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in her home state. This win further solidifies Trump’s path to securing the GOP nomination for a third consecutive time. Trump has already emerged victorious in key contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The pressure is now mounting on Haley, who served as Trump’s former representative to the U.N. and as South Carolina governor from 2011 to 2017, to consider exiting the race.
A rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden in the 2020 general election is increasingly likely. Despite Haley’s determination to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday on March 5th, she was unable to impede Trump’s momentum in her home state, despite holding numerous campaign events. Haley argued that the indictments against Trump would hinder his chances against Biden, but her message failed to resonate with South Carolina voters.
South Carolina’s primary has historically served as a reliable indicator of the Republican nominee, with the victor in the state’s primary usually going on to secure the party’s nomination. The only exception to this trend was Newt Gingrich in 2012. Haley plans to head to Michigan for its Tuesday primary, where she hopes to find a contest in which she can be competitive or potentially win. However, it remains unclear how she can prevent Trump from amassing enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee for the third time.
Both Trump and Biden are already positioning themselves for a face-off in November. Trump and his allies have attacked Biden’s leadership, arguing that he has weakened the United States, citing examples such as the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Trump has also criticized Biden for high inflation and his handling of record-high migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Biden has ramped up his fundraising efforts and directly targeted Trump, portraying him and his “Make America Great Again” movement as dire threats to the nation’s founding principles.
Haley has also criticized Trump, particularly regarding his comments on NATO and her husband’s absence from the campaign trail due to his deployment with the South Carolina Army National Guard. However, South Carolina’s Republican voters align with Trump on these issues, expressing lukewarm feelings about NATO and opposing continued aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Haley has amassed a significant amount of campaign funds and is set to embark on a cross-country campaign tour starting in Michigan ahead of Super Tuesday. Nevertheless, it is unclear how she can halt Trump’s path to securing the necessary delegates for the Republican nomination. Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking at Trump’s election night party, commended Haley but suggested it would be better for her and the party if she dropped out.
Despite Trump facing numerous criminal charges related to his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, the discovery of classified documents in his Florida residence, and allegations of arranging payoffs to a porn actress, his political strength remains intact. His first criminal trial is scheduled to begin in New York on March 25th.
In the Democratic primary, Biden emerged as the winner in South Carolina earlier this month and now faces only one remaining challenger, Dean Phillips. While Biden is expected to secure his party’s renomination easily, he has faced criticism from some Democrats for supporting Israel in its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The ongoing war could potentially harm Biden’s chances in swing states like Michigan, which has a significant Arab American population.
Overall, Trump’s victory in South Carolina strengthens his position as the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. With each successive win, he inches closer to a third face-off with Joe Biden in the general election. As the campaign intensifies, both candidates are already engaging in direct attacks and positioning themselves as the best choice to lead the country.
