Trump Wins South Carolina Primary; Haley Vows to Stay On

Trump cruised to victory in the Palmetto State, with the race called moments after polls closed. Haley, however, has vowed to press on despite the result

President Donald Trump takes the stage at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., after defeating Nikki Haley in her home state on Feb. 24, 2024. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

Epoch Times Staff

South Carolina Rep. Norman: ‘The People Spoke for Trump’

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a key supporter of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in her home state, had a simple message after her loss was called.

“The people spoke for Trump,” he told The Epoch Times.

Mr. Norman, who has campaigned for Ms. Haley across the state, stressed that both President Trump and Ms. Haley “love America.”

“What she will have to do… is make a decision.”

“What she’ll do is count the delegates up,” he said when asked about her possible moves after Super Tuesday, March 5, when a large number of delegate-heavy Republican contests will be decided.

“At the end of the day, everybody will come together, whether it’s [for] Nikki Haley or Donald Trump,” Mr. Norman predicted.

Trump Glides to Victory

COLUMBIA, S.C.–Former President Donald Trump has once again racked up a decisive victory over Republican challenger Nikki Haley. This time, he is running a victory lap around the former South Carolina governor in her home state.

The Associated Press called the South Carolina Republican presidential primary election for President Trump shortly after polls closed statewide at 7 p.m. ET. With this result, Ms. Haley became the first major-party candidate to lose her home state in the modern primary era.President Donald Trump takes the stage at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, S.C., after defeating Nikki Haley in her home state on Feb. 24, 2024. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)

“There’s a spirit that I’ve never seen,” President Trump told a jubilant crowd at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia not long after the race was called.

“I have never seen the Republican party so unified as it is now.”

The crowd, which wasn’t expecting the former president to appear so soon, erupted in cheers and screamed “I love you.”

One man celebrated by tossing a teddy bear wearing in a Trump shirt into the air

“This was a great moment in American history,” said South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who was with President Trump on stage. He compared the Trump campaign to a rocket launch and said, “We just hit maximum velocity!”

President Trump discussed the need to secure the southern border while drawing sharp contrasts between his domestic policies as president and those of President Joe Biden.

“You look outside, and you see all of the horror; you see millions and millions of people coming across the border illegally.”

However, the former president emphasized his plan to make America “respected again” if he clinches the GOP nomination and wins the general election on Nov. 4.

“Right now, we are a laughing stock around the world. We are going to be respected again, respected like never before.”

Notably, President Trump did mention his opponent in the primary, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, at any point in the speech.

This was in sharp contrast to his victory speech last month in New Hampshire, when he railed against Ms. Haley even though he defeated her. The former president was not happy that Ms. Haley had done her speech before him that night.

Commenting on the road ahead, President Trump on Saturday said he would return to the stage on Nov. 5 to “fire” President Biden.

“We’re going to look at Joe Biden, and we’re gonna look him right in the eye—he’s destroying our country—and we’re gonna say, ‘Joe, you’re fired! Get out, get out, Joe!’”

Read more here.

Epoch Times Staff, Feb 25, 2024