10:58 p.m. ET, February 24, 2024
Here are some key takeaways from South Carolina’s Republican primary
From CNN’s Gregory Krieg and Eric Bradner
Former President Donald Trump attends a primary election night party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia on Saturday.
Andrew Harnik/AP
Former President Donald Trump was projected winner in the South Carolina GOP primary,
defeating former Gov. Nikki Haley on her home turf as he completed his sweep of the early voting states. These are
five key takeaways from the contest:
The race accelerates now: The slow march through the early voting states is over, and the primary is now a national one. By March 12, 56% of the delegates to the Republican National Convention will have been awarded. And in most states, Republicans’ delegates are winner-take-all — which means Haley gets no credit for strong second-place showings. With Haley winless so far, the finish line — 1,215 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination — could be
in sight for Trump within weeks.
Trump dominates the GOP establishment — again: In case it wasn’t clear when he won the nomination in 2016, became president, ran all but a select few Republican critics out of office or the party, then stormed into the 2024 race despite
facing multiple indictments: The GOP belongs to Donald Trump. Trump’s success in Haley’s home state underscores how much has changed in less than a decade. Nor has it been a hostile takeover, no matter how hostile Trump can be toward his rivals: Most Republican voters are all in on Trump, and the parts of his personality that make establishment Republicans cringe are — as we’ve seen — actually a large part of his appeal to a majority of voters.
Where does Haley go from here? There was once a narrow, but tantalizing, path for Haley to seriously challenge Trump for the Republican nomination. It started with winning in New Hampshire and her home state. But that potentially game-changing stretch of the Republican primary race is over. Following Saturday’s projected loss, Haley’s campaign announced a swing through Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado and Utah starting Sunday, and she’s also spending money on
advertising targeting Super Tuesday states. Whether she’ll actually notch any wins and begin to seriously challenge Trump in the delegate race, though, is a tougher question.
Nikki Haley arrives to speaks to supporters after the South Carolina presidential primary on Saturday in Charleston.
Chris Carlson/AP
A big enough pro-Haley coalition doesn’t exist in GOP primaries: Haley’s campaign has
long touted general election polls that show her in a much stronger position than Trump in a hypothetical matchup against Biden. But she can’t skip the step of defeating Trump in a primary first. There’s long been a theoretical coalition for Haley that includes moderate Republicans, independents allowed to vote in Republican primaries in some states and those turned off by Trump — particularly suburban, college-educated voters who have fled the party since Trump’s ascension in 2016. But that coalition isn’t showing up for Haley in the primary — at least not in enough force.
Tim Scott’s veepstakes audition: The most important result of South Carolina’s primary might be the cozy relationship Trump seemed to develop with his onetime 2024 GOP primary rival, Sen. Tim Scott. The last few weeks may have served as Scott’s audition for the vice presidential nomination. He campaigned with Trump, appeared alongside him in a Fox News town hall and other interviews, and urged Haley — who appointed him to his Senate seat when she was governor — to get out of the race.
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Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
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