Former President Donald Trump emerged triumphant in South Carolina’s GOP primary on Saturday, a pivotal event that shed light on the trajectory of the 2024 presidential race.
Shortly after, polls closed at 7 P.M. ET, Fox News declared Trump the victor in the primary contest.
This rapid declaration of victory, achieved over former UN ambassador and two-term South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in her home state, propels the former president further toward securing the 2024 GOP nomination.
Following the announcement of the results, Trump promptly appeared on stage to speak to his supporters.
Addressing a gathered crowd at the South Carolina state fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina, Trump remarked, “This is an auspicious and wonderful evening.”
Trump declared to the crowd, “We have a great family and we have incredible friends, and we’re going to be up here on November 5th. We’re going to look at Joe Biden, and we’re gonna look him right in the eye. He’s destroying our country, and we’re going to say, ‘Joe, you’re fired. Get out, get out Joe, you’re fired.'”
Haley Affirms Resolve Despite Election Setback
Following her defeat, Haley, who secured approximately 40% of the vote compared to Trump’s 60% on Saturday, delivered a speech to her supporters reaffirming her commitment to persevere.
The Haley campaign, which garnered a 19-point lead among the 7% independent voters on Saturday night, announced its intention to launch a multi-million dollar national cable advertising campaign ahead of Super Tuesday.
Super Tuesday offers nearly 800 delegates, with an additional 150 delegates at stake in the subsequent two weeks.
Noteworthy states participating in Super Tuesday include California and Texas, both rich in delegates, while other significant states such as Florida, Illinois, and Ohio will conduct winner-take-all primaries on March 19.
Polling data from several of these states suggests a considerable advantage for Trump over Haley.
In a memorandum released this week, the Trump campaign forecasted that the former president would secure the nomination on March 19, even under the “most-generous model” for Haley.