Nikki Haley Vows to Continue Primary Race After South Carolina Defeat

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley refused to drop out of the race after earning 40% of the GOP primary vote in South Carolina against frontrunner Donald Trump. 

“I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president,” Haley told supporters at a post-election rally. “I’m a woman of my word.”

Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, reaffirmed her commitment to stay in the race as long as possible despite her third major defeat to Trump following previous losses in Iowa and New Hampshire. 

In the end, Trump walked away with 47 delegates and 451,905 votes compared to Haley’s 3 delegates and 298,674 votes. 

“I know 40% is not 50%, but I also know 40% is not some tiny group,” Haley explained, rejecting assessments from various news networks and commentators that she was “crushed” by Trump, who earned 60% of the South Carolina vote. “There are huge numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative.”

Though Trump seems to enjoy a cult leader’s command of most Republicans, Haley has relentlessly hammered him on his vulnerability in a general election, arguing that the Republican base alone is woefully insufficient to get Trump back to the White House. 

“I don’t believe Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden,” she said bluntly of the former president. “Nearly every day, Trump drives people away.”