The myth of Trump’s strength as a candidate is taking another blow in South Carolina, as Nikki Haley’s continued presence is showing Trump’s weakness.
Haley explained her reasons for staying in the race:
This has never been about me or my political future. We have to beat Joe Biden in November. I don’t think Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden almost any day. Trump turns people away, even with his comments just yesterday. Today, in South Carolina, we get about 40% of the vote.
This, this is what we got in New Hampshire too. I’m an accountant. I know that 40% is not 50%, but I also know that 40% is not a tiny group. There, there are large numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who say they want an alternative. I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president. I am a woman of my word.
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Nikki Haley refuses to give up: “I know that 40% is not 50%, but I also know that 40% is not a tiny group. There are large numbers of voters in our Republican primaries who say they want an alternative.” pic.twitter.com/i6E9gbGrkh
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) February 25, 2024
A bigger problem for Trump is that 59% of Haley supporters in South Carolina say they won’t support Trump in the general election:
That’s a big number https://t.co/e6JAkRThm0
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) February 25, 2024
If Haley had not been running, Trump could have pretended that the Republican Party was united around him and could have sold the myth of strength. Haley’s presence and the opposition vote he cast in multiple states highlight Trump’s weakness.
Sure, Trump is winning these states by double digits, but there are plenty of Republicans in the primaries who aren’t voting for him.
Every day that Haley stays in the primaries is another day that Trump’s weakness is on display.
Trump wanted Haley gone because he can’t afford a long primary race, but Haley also showed Joe Biden and the Democrats that the Republican Party is not united around Trump, and that there are potential anti-Trump Republican votes that they can be targeted in November. .
Haley is causing immense damage to Trump by simply refusing to leave.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press pool and a congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and professional memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association