Ahead of South Carolina’s primary election, which will take place on Saturday, former governor of the state Nikki Haley vowed not to drop out even if she loses South Carolina.
“I refuse to quit,” Haley told supporters at a “State of the Race” speech in Greenville, South Carolina.
“South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I’ll still be running for president. I’m not going anywhere.”
Nikki Haley will not drop out of the 2024 race: “I’m not going anywhere.”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 20, 2024
“I’m campaigning every day until the last person votes, because I believe in a better America and a brighter future for our kids.”
Haley said Trump was a “disaster” and would “continue to be a disaster,” adding that politicians who publicly embrace Trump “privately dread him.”
Nikki Haley says Trump is a "disaster" to the Republican party pic.twitter.com/A4UT6bKI8o
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 20, 2024
“Donald Trump lost 49 percent of the vote in Iowa. In New Hampshire, Trump lost 46 percent of the vote. That’s not good,” Haley said.
Trump won Iowa with 51 percent of the vote, and was declared the winner shortly after caucus voting began. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who later dropped out of the race, received 21.3 percent of the vote, while Haley received 19.1.
Trump won New Hampshire with 54.3 percent of the votes, and Haley received 43.2 percent. A number of voters were seen registering as undeclared to vote for Haley in the election.
Nikki Haley: “Donald Trump lost 49% of the vote in Iowa. In New Hampshire, Trump lost 46% of the vote. That’s not good” pic.twitter.com/T4OWj3eBSv
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 20, 2024
Haley began the speech in tears, talking about her husband Michael, who is a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard and is currently deployed.
Nikki Haley cries during her Greenville speech pic.twitter.com/zm32lmRi6L
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) February 20, 2024
According to a RealClearPolitics average of polling, Trump lies 57.7 points ahead of Haley for the Republican nomination.
Haley remaining in the race despite low polling numbers prevents Trump from being named the presumptive nominee. Being named such would open up additional joint fundraising opportunities between the Republican National Committee and the RNC.
Nikki Haley remaining in the race despite having no chance of winning prevents the RNC from declaring Trump the presumptive nominee and forming joint fundraising committees of which Biden campaign's with the DNC have $130M cash on hand and have already spent $50M+ in swing states
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 20, 2024