In the recent South Carolina GOP primary, former President Donald Trump emerged victorious, affirming his hold over Republican voters. Trump won by a significant 20-point margin against Nikki Haley, the state’s ex-governor.
Despite the resounding defeat, Haley, who is also a former U.N. Ambassador, has pledged to continue her presidential campaign until at least Super Tuesday on March 5. This determination comes in light of Trump’s successive wins in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and now South Carolina.
Haley’s campaign strategy has been to present herself as a “new generational leader,” a fresh alternative to both Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden. She has pointed to polls indicating that 70% of Americans do not want either man in office. However, this argument has failed to sway Trump’s core supporters in South Carolina, who believe he is more suited to the presidency.
Haley’s supporters, meanwhile, have argued that she is more electable than Trump. They point to poll data showing that Haley would fare better against Biden in a general election. A Marquette University poll showed Haley leading Biden by 16%, while other polls indicate a lead of around 3%. Polls involving Trump have shown him either narrowly winning or losing to Biden.
Nevertheless, most Republican voters remain supportive of Trump. Haley’s criticisms of Trump, such as calling him “unstable” and “unhinged,” seem to have done little to shift this support. Trump’s own response to these allegations has been to say, “My revenge will be success.”
Trump’s legal troubles also do not appear to have deterred his supporters. Despite Haley’s assertions that his legal fees could hamper his campaign, many of Trump’s backers see the cases against him as politically motivated attempts to keep him out of office.
The South Carolina primary results suggest that most Republican voters had made up their minds well in advance of the vote, with over two-thirds of Trump voters deciding more than a month before the election. This could indicate that the hopes of any Republican candidate not named Trump may be in vain, as the party’s voter base seems firmly locked in their support for the former president.
