Washington: In a surprising upset, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley defeated former President Donald Trump in the District of Columbia (D.C.) primary election on Sunday, marking her first victory in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race.
Haley, who served as the governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, received 52% of the votes in D.C., while Trump got 43%. The remaining 5% went to other candidates or write-ins. Haley won 16 delegates from D.C., while Trump won 12.
Haley’s win in D.C. was a rare setback for Trump, who has dominated the Republican field so far, winning 10 out of the 12 contests held before Sunday. Trump has amassed 392 delegates, more than double the number of Haley, who has 184. A candidate needs 1,276 delegates to secure the nomination.
However, Haley’s victory in D.C. may not be enough to stop Trump’s momentum, as the former President is expected to perform well in the upcoming Super Tuesday, when 14 states and territories will hold their primaries or caucuses on March 5, 2024. According to the latest polls, Trump leads Haley by double digits in most of the Super Tuesday states, including California, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. Trump could win as many as 800 delegates on Super Tuesday, putting him closer to the nomination.
Haley, who is seen as a moderate and a critic of Trump, has vowed to continue her campaign despite the odds. She said she is the only candidate who can unite the Republican Party and appeal to independent and swing voters in the general election. She also said she is the best choice to take on the Democratic nominee, who is likely to be either Vice President Kamala Harris or Senator Bernie Sanders.
“I am not giving up. I am not backing down. I am not quitting. I am fighting for the soul of our party and our country,” Haley said at a rally in Virginia on Monday. “I am the only candidate who can beat the radical Democrats and restore America’s greatness.”
