In the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, former South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, remains undeterred despite initial losses and argues she’s looking beyond victory in her home state.
What Happened: Haley is determined to continue her campaign, despite significant losses in the initial voting states. She stressed that a win in her home state of South Carolina is not a necessity for her overall victory, reported ABC News on Sunday
“I think making sure it’s a competitive race, making sure that it looks close. If we do that — that’ll head us on into Michigan and Super Tuesday and that’s what we’re looking at,” she said, according to the report.
During a press interaction in South Carolina, Haley outlined her strategy, focusing on a competitive race and closing the gap with her opponents. She confirmed her intention to stay in the race, even if she finished second.
Haley, a major alternative to former President Donald Trump in the GOP’s nominating race, has been improving her performance. Despite coming third in Iowa and trailing Trump by approximately 11 points in New Hampshire, she remains optimistic.
Her strategy is to gradually reduce her margin of loss to Trump and eventually overtake him around Super Tuesday in March, when multiple states vote simultaneously. She reportedly said that her campaign was not “an anti-Trump movement.”
Despite trailing Trump by about 31 points in South Carolina, according to 538, both Haley’s and Trump’s support have seen recent increases. Trump has criticized Haley for not withdrawing from the race after her initial defeats.
Why It Matters: As per a Benzinga report from early January, Trump was leading Haley by 29 points in South Carolina. However, Haley’s late surge was noted.
Trump’s harsh criticism of Haley, including mocking her clothing and labeling her a "birdbrain," could potentially impact his standing among female voters, according to a late January report.
Earlier in the month, Haley mocked Trump with a Halloween costume labeled as the "Weakest General Election Candidate Ever," highlighting his legal drama, terrible poll numbers, and confusion.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.