Donald Trump took another step toward a rematch with Joe Biden in the general election by decimating Nikki Haley in her home state in the South Carolina Republican primary.
The result was announced just seconds after the polls closed. It was an embarrassing night for Haley, who has vowed to stay in the race even as her path to the nomination quickly comes to an end.
Trump declared his quick victory at his Election Day party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, saying with a grin, “That was a little earlier than we expected.”
Trump's victory builds on the strong momentum he built with victories in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
Former President Donald Trump took the stage Saturday night to announce victory in South Carolina's Columbia primary
But Trump is shifting his messaging from the primaries and telling his voters they need to focus on the November general election.
“Nine months is a long time,” he noted of the schedule ahead of the presidential election later this year. “I just wish we could do it faster.”
“You know, in certain countries you are allowed to set your election date,” he added. “If I had the right to do it, I would do it tomorrow. 'I would say we have elections tomorrow.'
The former president does not want to lose the momentum he feels after his overwhelming election victories and the numerous indictments that he believes are political persecutions.
“South Carolina – thank you very much.” Go home, get some rest. “We still have a lot of work to do,” Trump urged in remarks in which he never mentioned his remaining Republican rival.
Haley's defeat on Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years that a Republican candidate has lost his home state presidential primary. The predecessor was Richard Nixon, who lost the California primary to Ronald Reagan – who also came from California.
But Haley said during a “state of the race” speech Tuesday that she was “far from” ending her candidacy, despite her disappointing performance so far in the primary and dismal polls that showed her in the national ones and state elections trailed Trump by a wide margin.
The former South Carolina governor said she plans to stay in the 2024 Republican primary until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 16 states and one territory will hold contests and a staggering 874 delegates will be up for election on that single day.
Trump spoke for just over 20 minutes — and even after he left the stage, the Associated Press reported only 6 percent of the votes counted in South Carolina.
Trump embarrassed Nikki Haley in her home state when the race was called just seconds after polls closed at 7 p.m
Nikki Haley's defeat on Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years that a Republican presidential candidate has lost his home state in the primary
Trump acknowledged in his remarks that the crowd at his election night party in South Carolina's state capital was “very opinionated” – even toward some of the former president's honored guests.
When South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham was mentioned, the crowd booed, even though Trump told them he was a good person.
Some voters in South Carolina told on Saturday that Haley has dashed any future career ambitions by joining the 2024 race and insists her career in politics, particularly in the Palmetto State, is over.
“She ruined herself in politics because no one I know will ever vote for her again after she ran against Trump and said the vile things she said about him,” said Trump supporter Kendal Fiorini , 58.
Trump polled 51 percent in Iowa against Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and several other outsiders. Then last month in New Hampshire, he polled 54.3 percent in a contest that essentially featured just him and Haley after the rest of the primary dropped out — and most threw their support behind Trump.
The former president then received 99.1 percent of the vote in the Nevada caucus earlier this month, which Haley did not attend after opting to run in the state's primary instead – where she surprisingly faced “none of these candidates.” “lost.”
Voters line up to cast their ballots in the South Carolina Republican presidential primary in John's Island, South Carolina, on Saturday, February 24
Trump held a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Friday, where about 6,000 supporters came to hear his final appeal before the primary.
Later Friday, he also spoke at the Black Conservative Federation gala in Columbia before traveling to National Harbor, Maryland, to deliver CPAC addresses just outside Washington, DC, on Saturday morning.
Trump's base in South Carolina was excited to show up for him on Saturday.
“I voted for Trump because I believe in him,” North Charleston resident Mary Ann Cole, 77, told .
“I just think they tied his hands and they're doing all this crap – forgive me – they threw so much trash in his direction and he's still there, he hasn't run away,” Cole added.
The retiree said she would have been willing to vote for Haley, but she didn't like how Trump was treated.
Retired Charleston couple Bob, 88, and Kathy Kean, 76, both said Saturday outside the polling station at Hunley Park Elementary School in North Charleston that they would vote for Trump.
“I'm voting for Trump because I believe he is the strongest candidate and can get our country out of this gigantic mess we're in,” Kathy said.
Her husband said, “I almost voted for Haley because Trump disparaged her husband.” He's on duty. That made me angry because he didn't have to do that.'
Bob added, “We like Trump.”
“Overall, even if he’s not politically correct,” Kathy finished her husband’s sentence.