Advisors in Donald Trump’s campaign announced that they intend to treat Nikki Haley with indifference following the former U.S. President's victory in the Republican primary in South Carolina this past Saturday. Trump easily outperformed all five Republicans candidates so far after winning the primaries in the Midwest, Northeast, South, and West. Trump’s nomination for the Republican Party for the presidency has become inevitable after his victory in South Carolina, while Haley’s hopes continue to dwindle as she pledges to keep fighting.
Trump's advisors indicated that they plan to ignore Haley, representing a shift in the campaign’s approach, which had strongly criticized the former governor of South Carolina in recent weeks. During a pro-Trump event, Chris Lasavita, co-director of the Trump campaign, briefly outlined the campaign’s stance on Haley, stating to Reuters, “Who is Nikki?”
Despite Trump’s win in South Carolina, he faces significant challenges if he competes against current President Joe Biden in the general election in November. Independent and moderate voters are expected to play a crucial role in determining the election winner. Among independent voters in South Carolina, six out of ten chose Haley, according to a poll conducted by Edison Research. Republican strategist Chip Kicle stated that Haley receiving 40 percent of the votes on Saturday against Trump's 60 percent is a slim victory margin for Trump that contradicted many expectations.
