Trump wins fourth straight contest in Republican presidential nomination race
Following his decisive victory in Nevada’s GOP presidential caucus, former President Donald Trump is now setting his sights on the next crucial battleground in the 2024 Republican nominating calendar: South Carolina.
Excitedly, Trump inquired, “Can we declare the election already?” as he gestured towards his commanding double-digit lead in the most recent polls conducted in South Carolina.
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The former president’s triumph in the Nevada caucus, where he stands as the clear frontrunner for the GOP nomination in his third consecutive bid for the White House, was unsurprising. Trump emerged as the sole prominent candidate in a competition organized by a supportive state party, limited to registered Republicans for voting.
Trump secured a decisive victory in Nevada, where 26 delegates were up for grabs, following a landslide win in the presidential caucus organized by the U.S. Virgin Islands GOP. Notably, Thursday’s caucus in Nevada occurred just two days after he emerged victorious in the state-run Republican presidential primary, despite not being listed on the ballot.
Nikki Haley, the former two-term South Carolina governor and later U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration, failed to secure a path to victory despite Trump’s absence from the primary ballot.
In Tuesday’s primary, where no GOP convention delegates were at stake, Haley was defeated by a “none of these candidates” option by a margin of more than two to one.
Voters participating in the primary were unable to write in Trump’s name, but they had the option to select “none of these candidates.” Fox News interviewed Trump supporters outside of polling stations, who indicated that this was their chosen way of voting.
“On Thursday night, I’d like to congratulate none of the above,” Trump remarked as he mocked Haley. “I was one of them.”
Haley, who hadn’t campaigned in Nevada since October, minimized the significance of this week’s primary and caucus in the Silver State. In a Fox News Digital interview in Los Angeles on Wednesday, she stated that they weren’t “anything we were looking at” and accused the caucus of being “rigged” for Trump.
Trump secured a majority of the vote in the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses, and he outpaced Haley by 11 points in the New Hampshire primary a week later, as the nomination battle narrowed to a two-candidate race.
Despite facing pressure from some Republicans to suspend her White House bid, Haley reassured supporters in California this week, stating, “I’m in this for the long haul.”
The upcoming primary in South Carolina is scheduled for Feb. 24, and Trump is making his return to the state this weekend for the first time in two months.
Recent public opinion polls in the Palmetto State show Trump maintaining a very strong double-digit lead. Additionally, the former president has garnered support from the state’s governor, nearly the entire congressional delegation, and numerous state lawmakers and local officials.
Veteran Republican consultant Dave Wilson, based in South Carolina, highlighted Trump’s “groundswell” of support in the state, emphasizing the former president’s robust “ground forces.”
Wilson also observed that “Nikki Haley is reintroducing herself to South Carolina” due to the significant population growth in the state since her tenure as governor, with nearly a million new residents.
However, Wilson cautioned against underestimating Haley, highlighting her undefeated electoral record. He emphasized, “Never underestimate Nikki Haley. Never count Nikki Haley out.”
Looking forward, Haley reiterated her campaign’s focus on South Carolina, Michigan, and Super Tuesday.
Michigan is set to hold its primary on Tuesday, Feb. 27, just three days after the South Carolina Republican primary. Following this, fifteen states, including California and Texas, will hold their contests on Super Tuesday, one week later.
Haley’s campaign made its first two stops in California on Wednesday, marking her debut in any of the Super Tuesday states. This swing to the Golden State appears to be a strategic move for Haley as she pushes back against calls from some Republicans to exit the race and abandon her uphill battle for the nomination.
The trip also featured a series of fundraisers, and according to an initial report from Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Haley raised $1.7 million in fundraising during her two days in California.
Haley told Fox News Digital that her campaign has been prudent with its finances, stating, “We have been smart.”
She emphasized the importance of managing campaign funds effectively, noting, “You don’t end up being the last one standing against Donald Trump if you don’t manage your money well. So yes, we are focused on making sure we have the resources.”