The race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination remains between two candidates, although how long the race will last remains in question after former President Donald Trump defeated former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in her home state on Saturday (24/2) with results 59.8% versus 39.5%.
Trump has won all five primaries and caucuses held so far, and between now and next Tuesday (5/3), as many as 20 other US states and territories will hold polls to determine their preferred candidate. Those states include delegate-rich California and Texas, making it possible that by the end of the first week of next month, Trump could have amassed a hard-to-catch lead.
However, Haley has indicated that he intends to remain in the running at least until next Tuesday's election (5/3). He continued his attacks on the former president, who currently faces 91 separate criminal charges in four different jurisdictions, even as he attempts to retake the White House in November.
“I am a woman of my word,” Haley told a crowd in Charleston, South Carolina, after the state's vote. “I will not give up this fight when the majority of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump and (President) Joe Biden.”
He said that other states, “have the right to vote, not Soviet-style elections where there is only one candidate. And I have an obligation to give them that choice.”
Money is also important
“What determines whether he can continue or not is basically whether his supporters will continue to donate money, so that he can afford to continue the campaign,” John Mark Hansen, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, told VOA.
However, after his loss at South Carolina, Haley lost at least one significant financial backer. Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a political advocacy organization funded by conservative billionaire Charles Koch, announced Sunday that it would no longer fund Haley's campaign.
“Nikki Haley has repeatedly shown us that we made the right decision in supporting her candidacy and she continues to have our strong support,” AFP President Emily Seidel wrote in a public statement announcing AFP's withdrawal of support. “But given the challenges in key states ahead, we do not believe any outside group can make a significant difference to pave the way to victory.” (lt/rs)