Nikki Haley Defeats Donald Trump In Washington Republican Primary

Nikki Haley achieved a significant victory over former President Donald Trump in the Washington DC primary, marking her first win against him in this election cycle marking a groundbreaking turn of events within the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Haley, the former US Ambassador to the United Nations, secured 62.9% of the vote compared to Trump’s 33.2%, according to reports from CBS. This victory awarded Haley all 19 Republican delegates available in DC, bringing her total to 43 delegates nationwide, albeit still trailing behind Trump’s 247.

Despite the win being largely symbolic due to Washington DC’s Democratic-leaning demographic—with only about 23,000 registered Republicans—this achievement has not gone unnoticed. Approximately 2,035 Republicans participated in the primary, as reported by the Washington Post. Haley’s campaign spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cubas, emphasized the significance of this victory, stating, “It’s not surprising that Republicans closest to Washington dysfunction are rejecting Donald Trump and all his chaos.”

The triumph in DC stands as a historical moment, with Haley becoming the first woman to win a Republican primary in US history. However, her journey in the 2024 campaign has been challenging, with a loss in South Carolina, her home state, underscoring the uphill battle she faces within the party.

Trump’s campaign, undeterred by the results in DC, dismissed Haley’s victory, with campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt referring to Haley as the “Queen of the Swamp.” Leavitt’s statement highlighted the campaign’s viewpoint: “While Nikki has been soundly rejected throughout the rest of America, she was just crowned Queen of the Swamp by the lobbyists and DC insiders that want to protect the failed status quo. The swamp has claimed their queen.”

Despite the adversities and the dominance of Trump in the state primaries and caucuses so far, Haley remains steadfast in her campaign. She has vowed to continue her race at least through Super Tuesday, March 5, when a significant number of delegates—874 to be precise—will be at stake across 15 states and one US territory.

This development signals a noteworthy moment in the Republican primary race, showcasing the dynamic and often unpredictable nature of political campaigns. As Super Tuesday approaches, all eyes will be on the candidates as they vie for support in what is considered the most consequential day of the nominating contests.