Former President Donald Trump easily defeated former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina. As polls had indicated heading into the weekend, Trump was favored to win by anywhere from 15 to 40 points. It appears the final numbers will be somewhere in between.
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With roughly half the vote remaining, Trump appears to be winning by a 20-point margin which is likely where the final result will end up:
The call came shortly after 7 pm which demonstrates the sheer gravity of Haley’s loss, per USA Today:
Former President Donald Trump rolled to victory Saturday in the South Carolina Republican primary, easily defeating former Gov. Nikki Haley in her home state and moving ever close to the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
The Associated Press and television networks called the race for Trump shortly after the South Carolina polls closed at 7 p.m.
Trump, who also won convention delegate contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, is on track to win the nomination, despite the prospect of up to four criminal trials in the months ahead.
Winning the South Carolina primary is a particularly good omen for Trump, politically.
Most of the Republicans who have won the Palmetto State’s primary have gone on to win the party’s nomination, a list that includes Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Trump himself.
Trump’s sweep of the first four contests puts him easily on track to win out all remaining states. There wasn’t a path forward for Haley before South Carolina, there certainly isn’t a path any longer.
Shortly after winning, Trump addressed supporters:
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