- Written by Sam Cabral
- BBC News, Columbia, South Carolina
Video: 'Joe, you're fired' – Trump focuses on Biden as Haley fights
Donald Trump has defeated Nikki Haley in South Carolina, moving him one step closer to becoming the Republican presidential nominee.
The former president defeated his main opponent in his home state by 20 points, making it his fourth consecutive victory.
During the celebration, Trump did not mention Haley, who has vowed to stay in the race. Instead, he set his sights on the November general election.
It will likely be a rematch with the successor to the White House.
“We're going to look straight at Joe Biden,” he told supporters Saturday night, minutes after U.S. media projected Joe Biden as the winner. “He's destroying our country, and we're going to say, 'Joe get out, you're fired.'”
“I've never seen such spirit. I've never seen the Republican Party so united,” Trump said after Saturday's results, praising the party's “unity.”
This marked a change from her reaction to last month's New Hampshire primary, when she was furious with Haley for “giving a speech like she won.”
Haley, a former popular two-term governor of South Carolina, congratulated her opponent on her victory in a speech.
But she promised not to resign and said the roughly 40% of votes she received were “not a small group.”
“There are a huge number of voters in the Republican primary who say they want an alternative,” she said, stressing that she is not campaigning because of any political ambitions.
“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,” she added.
He reiterated his commitment to remain in the race through Super Tuesday, March 5, when voters in at least 16 states cast their votes on the same day.
“I am a woman of my word,” said the former United Nations ambassador. “Tomorrow we head to Michigan and we’ll be heading to Super Tuesday states for the rest of next week.”
image source, Getty Images
Nikki Haley said in a speech after Saturday's South Carolina primary that she has no intention of withdrawing from the race.
The Trump campaign denied Haley's continued efforts in a statement Saturday, saying her “delusions have clouded her judgment and she is no longer living in reality.”
The Trump campaign expects the former president to gather enough delegates to formally certify his nomination within the next month.
Haley has no clear path forward. Her opponent has a significant lead in delegates and will be far ahead in all upcoming elections.
But Haley's campaign remains viable, thanks in large part to donations from deep-pocketed donors. Even though she faces long odds, her money continues to flow.
Haley raised $16.5 million in January alone, campaign officials said. This is his largest monthly total ever and far exceeds Trump's total.
To emphasize that he believes the primaries are over, Trump wasted no time in delivering a victory speech immediately after the race was declared, speaking in front of Haley as he did in New Hampshire. was not allowed to do so.
image source, Getty Images
Nearly 20 allies flanked Trump during his victory speech after the South Carolina primary.
At a podium at the Columbia State Fairgrounds, surrounded by nearly 20 allies, including most of the state's political leaders, he told a raucous crowd: “This was a little earlier than we expected.”
Trump certainly has a lot to be proud of with this victory. Exit polls conducted by the BBC's US partner CBS News showed the former president ahead of Ms Haley among both men and women and across all age groups.
Trump, 77, praised their support and reminded the audience that “we have a lot of work ahead of us.”
The former president also remains beset by a number of legal issues and faces the first of four criminal trials next month.
He is currently facing more than $500 million in damages from two recent civil court judgments against him in New York, one for sexual assault and defamation, and one for business fraud.
Trump is increasingly relying on donations to cover spiraling legal costs as Biden enjoys a sizable cash advantage over Biden in what is arguably the most expensive presidential election in U.S. history.
Looks like the Republicans are going to help him. He strengthened his control over the country by supporting his key allies as leaders of the National Committee.
His daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, whom he named co-chair of the Republican Party, promised to use “everything” of the party's funds toward legal defense.
