Haley still fighting despite Trump's huge lead and it's all down to billionaires
Donald Trump may have powered ahead in his race for the presidency following his striking success in the South Carolina Republican Primary, but Nikki Haley has a reason for not throwing in the towel yet.
The ex-President beat the 52-year-old in her home state during Saturday's primaries, securing a win that could almost guarantee that he'll be the party's chosen candidate. He is projected to secure roughly 60 per cent of the vote but his opponent has vowed to stay in the race - and it is telling why she is fighting on.
Ms Haley, it appears, does not have a clear path forward. But her campaign is certainly still standing, and those behind her aren't willing to admit defeat. Energised by contributions from deep-pocketed donors, some may be surprised to discover she actually raised far more money in donations in January than Donald Trump did, bringing in $16.5m alone last month. More than 5,200 donors to Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign have also backed her financially.
Her campaign officials state that was her largest monthly total, and dwarfs Trump's totals. That will likely be of little concern to him, after he won his primary opponent's home state by a 20-point margin. It was his fourth consecutive victory, putting him one step closer to the Republican presidential nomination. But his rival will not step aside.
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Donald Trump with then US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in 2018 (Getty Images)Her donors appear to share her optimism that she remains in the race. Real estate developer Harlan Crow, billionaire Trevor Rees-Jones and oil and gas producer Ray Lee Hunt are known to be among dozens that have hosted fundraisers for her presidential bid. Haley’s ongoing financial support from Wall Street and other business donors has allowed her to continue her campaign.
History shows scoring a win in the South Carolina Primary is often vital for candidates in the Republican party. Everyone who won the primary since 1980 has gone on to be chosen as the candidate at the Republican National Convention apart from Newt Gingrich in 2012 who lost but still snagged the nomination. This year's convention will run from July 15 to July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
After each primary win, a hopeful candidate gets delegates. The number of these varies from state to state, with South Carolina giving 50 to Republicans. To win the nomination in July, a candidate needs 1,215. The South Carolina Primary on Saturday was a fiery one. It was the first big political face-off between Trump and Haley since the New Hampshire Primaries.
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But her race isn't run yet - and the Republican presidential candidate has big financial backing (Getty Images)Haley lost to the tycoon by less than 10 points in that primary, which took place on Jan. 23. There have been other Republican primaries since then, but the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries and Iowa Caucuses are seen as the most important three of the election cycle.
Despite the financial clout, Haley's defeat on Saturday was a huge setback for her campaign, which has been working hard to stop Trump from winning another term and also promising Americans a younger leader. Trump is 77 but will be 78 when he could potentially take office in January, while Haley is 52 and would be nearly 53. In comparison, the current Democratic President Joe Biden is now 81 and will turn 82 just after the November election.
Donald Trump secured a massive win over Nikki Haley in South Carolina (Getty Images)Haley was the governor of South Carolina for six years, stepping down in 2017 to become Trump's UN ambassador when he moved into the Oval Office. Despite Haley's past in the state, however, Trump still had the most support and has for months, leading in several recent polls over her in the state and beyond.
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