Nikki Haley, a Republican running for president, was defeated in both New Hampshire and Iowa. In a Nevada primary where neither she nor any of the other candidates were running for delegates and where Trump was not even on the ballot, she came in second. She served as governor of South Carolina for two terms, but she lost the primary election in her own state.
She is now one of just a few of candidates who refuse to withdraw from the contest despite clear losses.
Despite suffering crushing defeat after defeat, no other contemporary significant candidate has remained in the contest.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a Republican who competed in the 2016 election and lost his home state of Florida, withdrew from the race. Trump was the Republican nominee. Bush, a fellow Floridian and former governor, withdrew earlier following a dismal showing in neighbouring South Carolina.
On the other hand, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren withdrew from the 2020 Democratic primary that took place in the state not long after Super Tuesday. After coming in third place, Warren decided it was done.
After Iowa or New Hampshire, or at least before the humiliation of losing in their home state, most candidates who see the writing on the wall withdraw from the race. Just days before Warren and just before she was about to lose the Minnesota primary, Senator Amy Klobuchar did the same thing in 2020.
There are certain candidates who persist. They tend to hang around on the periphery of their respective groups.
Republicans’ 2008 and 2012 primaries saw former Rep. Ron Paul as a candidate. Prior to his 2008 primary loss in his home state of Texas, he acknowledged he would not win and would cease active campaigning. In 2012, his campaign was unable to engage in active campaigning due to financial constraints; yet, he was formally still a candidate attempting to garner delegates and exert party influence. Mitt Romney, who did manage to secure the Republican candidature that year, won Texas and therefore secured the necessary number of delegates.
Regardless of his dismal performance in the January Iowa caucuses, Paul’s spirited supporters nonetheless managed to obtain the majority of delegates from Iowa at the state GOP convention. Since then, Republicans in most states have altered the regulations.
Refusing to withdraw from the 2004 Democratic primary, former Representative Dennis Kucinich also made a case regarding impacting the agenda. Kucinich remained a candidate right up until the Democratic convention, despite receiving only 9% of the vote in Ohio, his home state. Kucinich received nothing in the way of state endorsements and a small number of delegates.
Does Haley have a chance to earn delegates even if she loses the states?
Given that Haley’s chances of winning any primaries or caucuses are low right now, is there any chance that she could collect enough support to prevent Trump from winning?
I don’t think that’s possible either. The former president will need 1,215 of the 2,429 delegates needed to capture the GOP nomination by the end of March, according to Trump’s campaign. There were 63 delegates for Trump and 17 for Haley as they entered South Carolina.
Super Tuesday, March 5, is a crucial date that Haley has brought up. More than three-quarters of the Republican delegates, or 850 delegates, will be at stake in fifteen separate races on that date. However, the primaries have not yet reached the midway point. This is also before any of Trump’s four pending criminal prosecutions begin; yet, it is highly unlikely that the publicity surrounding these trials will affect him in the Republican primary.
Although Trump is the overwhelming favourite among Republican primary voters, Haley contends that he will face more challenges in the general election. She further says that Republican primary supporters should be given a choice.
Days before the South Carolina primary, Hillary told AWN’s Jake Tapper, “It is literally impossible that we will win an election if Donald Trump is the nominee.” This was spoken on Thursday.
At least among Republicans, the majority does not appear to be in agreement. Keeping running for “as long as I possibly can” is what Haley promised Tapper she would do.