Republican voters in South Carolina went to the polls on Saturday to elect a presidential candidate, with two important choices remaining: the state’s former governor, Nikki Haley, and former President Donald Trump.
Haley lost the New Hampshire primary last month by about 11 points, and polls showed Trump would defeat his former ambassador to the United Nations by about 2-1 in her home state.
The results were very favorable to Trump.
Here are the results from the primary elections held on Saturday, February 24:
republican campaign
Donald Trump
The former US president’s campaign to regain the White House and re-vie for the party’s nomination got off to a slow start and was widely derided. But after decisive victories in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, his campaign has steadily gained traction.
Trump has refused to participate in any Republican debates and has used his appearances and numerous legal woes as rallying cry to mobilize his supporters. His extremist rhetoric, particularly around his re-election plans and targeting political opponents, has fueled widespread concerns that his candidacy poses a threat to American democracy.
His political style during the campaign has not changed from the 2016 and 2020 campaigns, and has even become more extreme. Many believe this is the result of his intertwined political and legal fortunes, with a return to the Oval Office seen as Trump’s best chance to resolve his legal issues.
Nikki Haley
The former South Carolina governor and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump has largely walked a fine line between being a Trump replacement and not angering his supporters. But she has also recently positioned herself as the only viable young candidate against Trump and Joe Biden.
That paid off in part, with Haley outperforming her rivals in debates and fundraising to finish second in the Republican race. But after blowout losses at Iowa and New Hampshire, and a blowout loss at Nevada, Haley’s chances have dwindled. Even so, she vowed to keep running and even beyond South Carolina.
Ryan Binkley
Binkley is a Texas businessman and long-shot candidate who is also the pastor of Create Church. The self-described far-right fiscal conservative criticized Democrats and Republicans for their inability to balance the federal budget and said he would focus on health care costs, immigration reform and the national volunteer movement.