Despite 2 losses, Nikki Haley tries to claim victory thus far in the Republican presidential race
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC — Despite losing both Iowa and New Hampshire to Donald Trump, Nikki Haley is nevertheless trying to view those losses as a victory and vowing to prevent a “coronation” of Trump as the 2024 Republican candidate.
However, the path through the next voting states may not be any easier.
“The political class wanted us to believe this race was over before it even started,” Haley posted on “You proved them wrong, and I am so grateful.”
Haley performed better in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday than in the Iowa caucuses a week earlier, where she finished third, well behind Trump and only slightly behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has since dropped his campaign.
But Haley had been counting on a strong showing in New Hampshire, a state where her effort to appeal to independents and more moderate Republicans appeared to be taking root. Trump still won by double digits on Tuesday night, leaving some wondering whether she would continue.
Haley confirmed she will do just that, speaking virtually to Republican voters in the US Virgin Islands – who are holding their caucuses on February 8 – before flying from New Hampshire to South Carolina, where she planned an evening rally.
Haley’s campaign had raised about $500,000 in the day since the New Hampshire primary, mostly in smaller donations, according to people who participated in a campaign donor call Wednesday evening.
Haley discussed fundraising during the 30-minute call with 241 donors, about 30 more than the last similar call, which Haley hosted last week immediately after the Iowa caucuses, according to two people on the call.
According to the participants, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss the call publicly, Haley was optimistic about returning to South Carolina, a state where she felt very comfortable, especially as an underdog, as she had done in her campaigns for Statehouse and governor.
The Wednesday night event serves two purposes for Haley. It’s a welcome home rally for the South Carolina native and an opener for her campaign in the South’s first Republican-voting state, which has traditionally been influential in determining the party’s nominee. Since 1980, only one South Carolina Republican primary winner has lost the nomination.
Since his victory in the 2016 primary there helped cement Trump’s dominance in that year’s race, South Carolina has remained loyal to him. For the 2024 campaign, he has the support of all but one U.S. House of Representatives Republican, as well as the governor, lieutenant governor and both U.S. senators.
“Trump is in a leadership position in South Carolina,” one of those senators, Lindsey Graham, said at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, praising Haley’s efforts but predicting her loss in their home state. “I think for all practical purposes the most important thing is over.”
Ahead of the New Hampshire vote, the super PAC backing Haley’s candidacy was quick to point out that President Joe Biden, the Democrat she hopes to face in the general election, had not been successful in the first few contests of his bid for 2020, but ultimately won the nomination. That comparison, however, does not take into account the fact that black voters helped fuel Biden’s eventual victory as he reached the South, a factor not expected to weigh heavily in the Republican Party’s primaries.
Nevertheless, Mark Harris, chief strategist for that super PAC, SFA Inc., insisted on a call with reporters Wednesday that Haley “has a path” to the Republican nomination regardless of Trump’s two early victories.
Viewing South Carolina as the next “battleground” of the direct matchup between Trump and Haley — the Republican caucuses in Nevada are on February 8, but Trump has already claimed victory there since Haley is not running — Harris noted that the open primaries mean that all Democrats who choose not to participate in their party’s election on February 3 can choose to support Haley on the February 24 ballot.
“We’re going to do everything we can to encourage those conservative-leaning and Republican-leaning independents to vote in the primaries,” Harris said, noting that the super PAC would join the campaign by running “millions of dollars” in TV ads to generate. in South Carolina over the next month, also sending out mailers, knocking on doors and conducting other outreach activities.
Asked about conversations with donors after the New Hampshire results, Harris said the group was confident it would have the necessary resources.
“Our donors have been working on this for a long time,” Harris said. “Our strategy was to reduce the field by two at South Carolina.”
He said he was encouraged by the enthusiasm he saw.
“People are excited and I am confident that we will have the resources we need to keep fighting.”
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Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, and Rick Gentilo in Washington contributed.
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Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP