Georgetown, South Carolina – The race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is heating up, with former governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley looking to secure her first win in her home state on Saturday. However, she faces a strong lead from former President Donald Trump, who has already secured wins in the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary in January.
According to recent polling, Trump holds a significant advantage over Haley, with a Suffolk University/USA Today poll of South Carolina voters showing that 63% of the state’s voters prefer the former president. Despite this, Haley remains determined to continue on to Super Tuesday, the primary day in early March when a diverse set of 15 states will vote for their choice of a Republican candidate to go up against President Joe Biden in the November general election.
However, at a campaign event on Friday, Donald Trump Jr. dismissed Haley’s vow to continue on to Super Tuesday as “political theater designed to hurt Donald Trump and the Republican chances in November.” He confidently stated that Haley “won’t win any states on Super Tuesday either,” highlighting the strong lead that his father holds with 63 delegates compared to Haley’s 17. With 1215 delegates needed to secure the nomination, the race is far from over, and most of the delegates are yet to be awarded.
Speaking at a rally in Georgetown, South Carolina on Thursday, Haley made her case for why she is the better choice in the general election. She argued that American voters are concerned about the age and abilities of both Trump and Biden, stating, “Are we really saying the best we can do is two guys in their 80s? We need someone who can serve eight years uninterrupted, day and night, and focus on what’s going to get solutions for the American people.”
As Trump’s only remaining rival for the nomination, Haley is gaining support from some voters who previously chose Trump in the last election. Kat Loftus, a voter from Georgetown, told VOA that she sees Haley as a less volatile alternative to Trump, stating, “Nikki Haley is a lot less volatile than he is – he has a very volatile personality. I think she would do a much better job of listening to people that are different from her and negotiating and getting things accomplished to unite our country.”
Loftus also highlighted border security and immigration as her top concerns this election year, noting that Haley’s experience as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations would be valuable in negotiating with Mexico’s president on these issues.
During her well-attended speech, Haley also criticized Trump’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating, “Donald Trump is siding with a thug. Half a million people have been wounded or killed because Putin invaded Ukraine. Donald Trump is siding with a dictator who kills his political opponents.” This stance resonated with Tee Miller, a South Carolina voter, who agreed that Trump has harmed the global reputation of the United States.
However, not all voters are convinced by Haley’s candidacy. Some, like Flo Phillips, who voted for Trump in the last election, have changed their minds and are now supporting Haley. Phillips told VOA, “I can be proud of her when she’s talking. She’s not saying horrible things about everybody. She seems to be a real smart person.”
Meanwhile, at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, Trump Jr. focused on attacking Biden rather than mentioning Haley. He rallied voters, stating, “We can get our country back to where it needs to be,” and alleging that Biden is controlled by radical Leftists. Rosie, a South Carolina voter, agreed with this sentiment, stating that Biden has torn down democratic values during his term in office. She also expressed her lack of interest in voting for Haley, citing her previous statement that she would not run if Trump was in the race.
While some voters may have concerns about Haley’s flip-flopping on her decision to run, others, like Todd, a South Carolina voter, appreciate her leadership during difficult times. He described himself as a big fan of Trump Jr.’s political podcasts but believes that the timing of Haley’s candidacy is not right, stating, “With all that’s going on in our country, it’s just not the right time.”
Carolyn Corcoran, a voter and single mother, also has reservations about Haley’s candidacy, stating that she is too politically entrenched in Washington. She expressed her support for Trump, stating, “The way they
