Trailing in South Carolina primary, Nikki Haley promises to persist in US presidential race

Republican presidential candidate, Nikki Haley has pledged to stay in the 2024 presidential race regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming South Carolina primary. Despite facing a significant deficit in her home state’s polls and three consecutive losses to political rival Donald Trump, Haley states that she has no plans to step down soon.

“I refuse to quit,” Nikki Haley ensures supporters

In Greenville, South Carolina, where the speculations about her imminent withdrawal from the race were rife, Ms. Haley addressed a crowd. “I’m not,” she said. “Far from it.” She further promised to at least see through the 16 Super Tuesday races on March 5th. “I refuse to quit,” Ms. Haley stated, receiving an applause from her audience. “South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I’ll still be running for president. I’m not going anywhere.”

Trump, who is a direct competitor for the Republican nomination, is also currently campaigning in South Carolina. His aim is to win the state’s primary by a large margin, further establishing his lead in the race. The two candidates have been locked into a head-to-head contest for the Republican nomination ever since Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended his campaign in January.

Polls show Haley trailing significantly behind Donald Trump

According to recent polls from South Carolina, Ms. Haley is trailing Mr. Trump by approximately 30 points. Nationally, this gap is reportedly even wider. Nonetheless, the former South Carolina governor is rallying forward with a single-minded focus on her presidential campaign, scheduling numerous events across the country. She has even formed campaign teams in Texas, Georgia, Vermont, and California.

Haley criticizes ‘political elites’ and Donald Trump

At the recent rally in Greenville, Ms. Haley addressed her underdog position in the race. She rejected the so-called “political elites and party bosses” who have dismissed her campaign. She portrayed herself as a younger, more stable option to both Trump and current president Joe Biden – both of whom she referenced as “old men”.

The former UN Ambassador also did not back down from criticizing her former boss, Donald Trump. Assessing him as a “disaster”, she argued that he was “more unstable and more unhinged” now than during his first term as President.

Haley’s campaign is supported by a significant amount of donation

Despite the odds, Haley’s hopes continue to remain alive, kept aflame by hefty donations from deep-pocketed donors. According to campaign officials, she raised a total of $16.5m in January alone. If she fails to gather the necessary amount of support in her home state, the already slim path to nomination will further narrow. Yet, Haley’s spirit appears unbroken and she seems determined to see this through.