Former US President Donald Trump has once again won a decisive victory in the Republican primary for the 2024 presidential election, defeating former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in his home state of South Carolina.
The Associated Press and other U.S. media outlets quickly declared Trump the winner of the state's Republican primary shortly after voting closed Saturday night.
Final results have not yet been released, but Trump led 59.7% to 39.7% after about half of the expected votes were counted, according to Edison Research.
Addressing supporters at an election night party in Colombia's state capital, the former president focused on November's general election and promised that America would be “more respected than ever” if re-elected.
“There has never been a spirit like this,” Trump said. “I have never seen the Republican Party as united as it is now.”
Despite facing numerous civil and criminal lawsuits, the former president maintains a strong grip on the Republican caucus and has won overwhelming races in each state.
Trump's victory in South Carolina also raises the possibility of a rematch with his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, in November.
Reporting from South Carolina on Saturday, Al Jazeera's Shihab Ratansi noted that President Trump did not even mention Haley's name in his victory speech.
“That's going to be the way forward,” Ratansi said. “This is all about Biden.”
But Haley, who served as South Carolina's governor from 2011 to 2017, has vowed to continue campaigning at least through Super Tuesday, March 5. On this day, primaries are held in 15 states and territories in the United States.
“I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I will continue to run for president,” Haley said in a speech to supporters in Charleston after her defeat. “I'm a woman of my word.”
Her determination to continue sparked chants of “Nikki!” Nicky! ” from the crowd.
“Even though the majority of Americans don't support both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, I'm not going to give up on this fight,” Haley added.
“South Carolina has spoken. We are the fourth state to do this. Over the next 10 days, 21 more states and territories will be meeting. They only have one candidate. They deserve a real choice, not a Soviet-style election, and I have an obligation to give them that choice.”
Haley said she plans to head to Michigan on Sunday, just days before the state's Republican primary on Feb. 27. Her campaign will then shift its focus to Super Tuesday states, including Minnesota, Vermont and Colorado.
But the former U.N. ambassador has no realistic path to the Republican nomination, which is largely tied to Trump.
Even in her home state, Ms. Haley has struggled to attract prominent political support. Only one South Carolina Republican, Ralph Norman, supported her over Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump celebrated his victory in South Carolina with his supporters, including South Carolina senators Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, as well as the state's governor.
He had arrived in South Carolina shortly after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the nation's largest annual gathering of conservatives, in Maryland.
Many of his remarks there focused on Biden. In a 90-minute speech, Trump accused the president of overseeing the country's decline.
He added that a victory over Biden in November would be a “judgment day” for the United States and Biden's “ultimate and absolute revenge.”
Biden warned that the former Republican president poses a threat to the country as well.
Biden last month characterized Trump and his supporters as dangerous outliers. The Democratic president sought support from his own party, independents, and “mainstream Republicans” who value American democracy.
“Democracy is on the ballot. Your freedom is on the ballot,” Biden said.
Trump faces four separate criminal charges, two of which are related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to Biden.
His first criminal trial, on charges of falsifying business documents related to hush money payments, is scheduled to begin March 25 in New York City.
President Trump has denied wrongdoing in all cases, calling them part of a politically motivated witch hunt.