"This was a little sooner than we anticipated, and an even bigger win than we anticipated," Trump said on Saturday shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern Time ."I was just informed that we got double the number of votes that has ever been received in the great state of South Carolina."
NBC News showed Trump leading Haley 58% to 41.5% with 28% of votes counted soon after polls closed Saturday evening.
Prior to Saturday's Republican primary election, polls were already predicting Trump would secure a victory in South Carolina. The loss is a significant blow to Haley’s campaign considering it is her home state where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017.
Haley said in earlier remarks that she would not suspend her campaign even if she lost in South Carolina. She will now concentrate on campaigning for Super Tuesday on March 5, when voters in 15 US states head to the polls to vote in their state primaries.
Haley Admits Loss in South Carolina
Republican candidate Nikki Haley said on Saturday that despite losing the South Carolina primary, she will continue to run for president of the United States.
Earlier in the day, CNN reported after counting 50% of the votes that former US President Donald Trump received 59.7% in the South Carolina Republican primary, with Haley securing 39.7% of the votes.
"...40% is not some tiny group," Haley spoke to her supporters on the election evening following her loss to Trump. "There are huge numbers of voters in our republican primaries who are saying they want an alternative … I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president. I’m a woman of my word."
We are heading to Michigan tomorrow and we are heading to the Super Tuesday states throughout the next week, Haley added.
Trump has already secured wins in the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and the US Virgin Islands. Super Tuesday will be key to securing a substantial number of delegates for the Republican presidential nomination.
'A Very High Turnout'
According to a poll worker in South Carolina, Saturday's primary attracted one of the highest turnout of voters in the state.
“We had around 600 people showing up today. That’s a lot and 30% of them were registered voters. It’s a good turnout despite it being a Saturday as we usually have them Tuesdays,” a poll worker in Charleston told Sputnik.
Some voters may be disappointed by the results of the primary as a few expressed opposition to Trump.
“I mean, I'd rather have a piece of gum off the sidewalk in charge,” Kaley told Sputnik regarding Trump.
However, Trump has many supporters in South Carolina despite large cities in the state, such as Charleston, being known to lean toward Democrats.
“I want Trump to win, and I hope we will decimate the Democrats,” Joe told Sputnik at a polling site.
Republicans have broadly criticized Haley for continuing her campaign and not joining “Trump’s team.” Republicans believe they should unite to defeat Biden.