GOP contest shifts to critical South Carolina primary
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Republican presidential contest is shifting to a critical twoweek phase ahead of the South Carolina primary, which may prove to be the last chance for Nikki Haley to blunt Donald Trump’s march to the nomination.
Enjoying a difficult day for President Joe Biden and fresh off another dominant win in the Nevada caucuses, Trump headed to Pennsylvania on Friday, where he addressed the National Rifle Association. He used the forum to highlight his support of gun rights, a major priority for GOP voters. From there, the former president will be in South Carolina this weekend where he and Haley will hold dueling campaign events ahead of the state’s Feb. 24 primary.
Trump hopes that a commanding win in the first-inthe-south race will deliver a devastating blow to Haley, who has yet to win a GOP contest. Haley, who was elected South Carolina’s governor twice, is betting that a home state advantage will lift her to a strong performance that could keep her in the race through Super Tuesday on March 5, when more than a dozen states will hold contests awarding a massive swath of the delegates needed to capture the GOP nomination.
“We’re leading everybody,” Trump said late Thursday following his Nevada victory. “Is there any way we can call the election for next Tuesday?
That’s all I want.”
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Trump said he was surprised Haley was pressing on.
“I don’t know why she continues,” he told reporters, adding: “I don’t really care if she continues. I think it’s bad for the party. I think it’s actually bad for her, too.”
Trump had no competition in Nevada after Haley chose to skip Thursday’s caucuses in favor of participating in an earlier primary that offered no delegates. But even without Trump on that ballot, Haley came in a distant second, swamped by GOP voters who picked a “none of these candidates” option.