With the first two contests over, there is now a lull in the 2024 presidential primaries. Following big Donald Trump wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, the next big contest on the calendar is the South Carolina primary on February 24 (except for a caucus in Nevada on Feb. 8, in which Nikki Haley isn't even participating.) Nikki Haley is vowing to stay in the race for that Feb. 24 contest in her home state, but pressure is growing on her to exit stage left before then. "I think she will stay in a little bit longer, but she needs to drop out," says Raven Harrison, political strategist and commentator. "She is doing more damage to the Republican ticket as a whole, than she is to the Biden ticket."
Haley's 11-point loss in New Hampshire was seen as better-than-expected, given some polls had her losing by 18-20 points. But she got that finish with a lot of help from Democrats and Independents, who are allowed to vote in New Hampshire's open primary. Now, it appears Haley is not only relying on Democrat votes, but on Democrat cash. "I think she has the money to stay in because she's got three mega donors who are Democrats, who supported and donated to Hillary (Clinton's) campaigns," says Harrison.
Polls show Haley trailing Trump by as much as 30 points in South Carolina, setting her up for a possible embarrassing defeat in the state where she was elected governor twice. But Haley's campaign is already looking beyond that contest to March 5 and Super Tuesday, where they point out a majority of states will have open primaries like New Hampshire. Harrison doesn't believe the race will get that far. "(Haley) is going to have to come to the realization at some point, that the numbers are just not there, the trajectory is not there," she tells KTRH. "She does not have the backing to continue against Trump, he will be the nominee."
In fact, the biggest drama left in this primary might be Democrat voter shenanigans in open primary states. "That's what we need to be watching for," says Harrison. "If this is the play the Democrats are going to use in other states like they did in New Hampshire, of having Democrats vote for Nikki Haley just to hurt Donald Trump...but it's not going to work after Super Tuesday."
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