Donald Trump beats Nikki Haley in South Carolina GOP primary

NEW DELHI: Former US president Donald Trump on Saturday secured victory in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary on Saturday, decisively beating his last GOP rival and the state’s former governor, Nikki Haley.
The Associate Press declared Donald Trump the winner as polls closed at 7 pm. The call was made following an analysis of AP VoteCast, a thorough survey of Republican South Carolina primary voters.The survey confirmed pre-Election Day polls, showing Trump with a significant lead over Haley statewide.
Trump’s recent primary victory, consolidating his route to the Republican nomination, hasn’t deterred Nikki Haley. The former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor from 2011 to 2017 is determined to press on with her campaign until Super Tuesday on March 5th.
Former president Donald Trump dubbed the upcoming November election as “judgment day” and proclaimed himself a “proud political dissident” in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. He used religious imagery to frame his campaign and warned of a bleak future under a potential second term for President Joe Biden in their expected rematch.
He stated, “Nov. 5 will be our new liberation day for hardworking Americans. But for the liars, cheaters, fraudsters, censors, and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be judgment day,” receiving enthusiastic applause. He continued, “When we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America.”
Addressing a pre-election rally in Rock Hill, Trump downplayed concerns about the outcome, stating, “Tomorrow you will cast one of the most important votes of your entire life, and—honestly—we’re not very worried about tomorrow.”
The early stages of the nominating process in Iowa and New Hampshire saw minimal clashes between the candidates. However, as the primary evolved into a head-to-head battle, the rhetorical attacks between Trump and Haley have escalated.
Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and Trump’s UN ambassador, faced a challenging contest as Trump enjoyed substantial support from the party establishment and a significant majority of voters, as indicated by polls.

(With inputs from agencies)