OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley had a brutal time in the South Carolina Republican primary on Saturday.
The polls closed at 7 p.m. local time, and within minutes, all three of the top cable news networks — Fox News, CNN, and even MSNBC — called the election for former President Donald Trump in what had to have been one of the more embarrassing moments of her campaign for the 2024 GOP nomination, given that she was a two-term governor in the Palmetto State.
MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow said that the result was unsurprising, as the network’s national political correspondent, Steve Kornacki, said that Trump’s victory being called so early was because the exit polling was “unusually overwhelming in this case.” The MSNBC decision desk made its call in four seconds.
It took CNN anchor Jake Tapper just seconds as well to call the contest for the former president, saying that the quick decision was a sign of Trump’s dominance in the Republican Party.
“Not a lot of suspense tonight,” Fox News anchor Bret Baier said after Martha MacCallum reported the network’s decision desk declared that Trump had defeated Haley within seconds of the polls closing.
As of this writing, Trump received 44 of the state’s 50 delegates, Haley took 3, and 3 are yet to be decided. Trump won with around 60 percent of the vote to Haley’s 40 percent.
“By March 12, 56% of the delegates to the Republican National Convention will have been awarded. And in most states, Republicans’ delegates are winner-take-all — which means Haley gets no credit for strong second-place showings. With Haley winless so far, the finish line — 1,215 delegates necessary to clinch the nomination — could be in sight for Trump within weeks,” CNN reported.
In his victory speech, the former president appeared to be looking past the former South Carolina governor and focusing on President Joe Biden, never mentioning her name in his victory speech.
But Haley continued to say that she would stay in the contest.
“We need to beat Joe Biden in November. I don’t believe Donald Trump can beat Joe Biden. Nearly every day Trump drives people away, including with his comments just yesterday,” she said after her defeat.
“That’s about what we got in New Hampshire too. I’m an accountant. I know 40% is not 50%, but I also know 40% is not some tiny group,” she said.
Before the primary Haley was questioned by Fox News host Bret Baier about her reasons for staying in the campaign, and if she wanted to be former President Donald Trump’s vice president, she was emphatic in her answer.
“Where can you paint a picture on Super Tuesday where you can get a victory?” Baier said.
“We’re gonna see what happens tomorrow. But look, the problem when people say, “Why is she doing this? Why is she doing that?” At first, they were like, “She’s doing this because she wants to be vice president.” I think we’ve pretty much settled that. Then they’re saying–“ Haley said before Baier interrupted.
“Have we settled it?” he said.
“There is no political motivation. If there was political motivation, I would have gotten out of this a long time ago,” she said.
“By the way, have we settled the vice president thing?” the anchor said.
“Of course, we’ve settled it! I mean, there is in no way,” she said.
“So, it’s done?” the host said to which the candidate responded, “I’ve said it for months, it’s done.”
“Also, looking at a political future – I wouldn’t be doing this if I was worried about a political future. I would’ve gotten out already. I’m doing this trying to wake up our country,” she told the Fox News anchor.
