Nikki Haley achieved a symbolic victory in the Republican primary elections on Sunday in Washington, D.C., marking her first win in the Republican nomination process, according to U.S. media. The Hill reported that Haley received 1,274 votes compared to former President Donald Trump's 676 votes, with reports from all electoral districts in the capital. CNN, which was among the media outlets announcing Haley's victory, estimated that there were only 22,000 total votes.
Haley, who served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's presidency (2017-2021), garnered 63% of the votes in this primary held at a single location—a hotel in downtown D.C.—according to Politico, citing Republican officials in the capital. This victory breaks Trump's streak of over six wins in the Republican nomination competition.
According to the newspaper, "This win is crucial for Haley to demonstrate her ability to surpass Trump in some arena, but she still has a long way to go." Haley pledged to remain in the race at least until "Super Tuesday" this week, when more than 12 states will vote.
In a statement, Haley's campaign team asserted, "It is not surprising that Republicans are shunning Donald Trump and the chaos occurring in Washington."
Residents of Washington D.C. predominantly support the Democratic Party, and there is a very small number of registered Republicans in the city. During the 2020 presidential election, Biden received 92% of the votes against Trump in Washington. The majority of D.C. voters have not given their support to any Republican presidential candidate.
