Article Summary –
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has lost multiple primaries, including in her home state of South Carolina, but is refusing to drop out of the race. Her persistence is rare, with most candidates withdrawing after a series of losses; yet, candidates on the fringes of their parties, such as Rep. Ron Paul in 2008 and 2012, have previously stayed in races despite low chances of success. Haley argues that she is providing Republican primary voters with a choice and that Donald Trump, despite his popularity among these voters, will struggle in the general election.
Republican Candidate Nikki Haley’s Staunch Tenacity in Presidential Race
Despite suffering a series of losses, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley remains undeterred. She fell second in the Nevada primary and lost the South Carolina primary, despite having served as a two-term governor. Haley’s persistence makes her a unique modern candidate who refuses to drop out despite multiple losses.
Comparison with Past Candidates
In previous elections, candidates typically bow out after early losses. For instance, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio dropped out of the 2016 race after losing his home state. Similarly, Jeb Bush, a former governor of Florida, also withdrew after a disappointing South Carolina result. On the Democratic side, Sen. Elizabeth Warren dropped out post-Super Tuesday in 2020 after coming in third in the Massachusetts primary. Even Sen. Amy Klobuchar suspended her 2020 campaign to avoid a potential home-state loss in Minnesota.
Candidates on the Fringe
Despite the trend, some candidates continue to participate. This tends to be more common amongst fringe candidates. For instance, former Rep. Ron Paul ran in the 2008 and 2012 GOP primaries, even admitting he wasn’t likely to win. He wound down active campaigning before losing the Texas primary. Similarly, former Rep. Dennis Kucinich persisted in the 2004 Democratic primary race, maintaining his candidacy until just before the convention despite only garnering 9% of the vote in Ohio, his home state.
Haley’s Position and Strategy
While Haley is unlikely to win primaries, could she gather enough support to prevent Trump from securing the nomination? This seems extremely unlikely. Trump’s campaign believes they will secure enough delegates for the GOP nomination, 1,215 out of 2,429, by the end of March. As of now, Trump has 63 delegates compared to Haley’s 17.
Haley has marked Super Tuesday, March 5, as crucial. Approximately 850 delegates, 35% of the Republican total, will be up for grabs in 15 contests. However, even after Super Tuesday, the primaries will not be halfway done. It’s noteworthy that Trump’s four criminal trials have not seemed to harm his standing in Republican primaries so far.
Haley’s Justification
Haley contends that Republican primary voters deserve a choice. She asserts that although Trump is the clear favourite, he will struggle to win the general election. She stated, days before the South Carolina primary, that it is “literally impossible that we will win an election if Donald Trump is the nominee”. Although most Republican voters don’t appear to agree, Haley intends to stay in the race “as long as I possibly can”.
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