South Carolina conservatives are having difficulty with the question of whether Nikki Haley's record is deserving of a promotion to the Oval Office.
Their evaluation seems to be less focused on her experience and abilities, and more centered around the obstacle she faces: Donald Trump.
Haley, Trump's final significant Republican opponent, is entering a crucial period leading up to South Carolina's Feb. 24 primary, which could potentially be the final hurdle for Trump in securing his third consecutive Republican nomination.
Despite Haley's previous success in her home state, recent interviews with numerous South Carolina Republicans indicate that she is facing challenges in gaining support from conservatives who previously supported her as governor but remain loyal to Trump as president.
In an interview with NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, the former United Nations ambassador expressed that winning the South Carolina primary next month is not necessarily a requirement for her to continue her campaign, according to USA TODAY's David Jackson.
On the contrary, she insists on demonstrating that she is "gaining traction." Haley is dismissing the endorsements Trump has received from prominent South Carolina political leaders, claiming that he has "become an insider" and urging her base to disregard his support.
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified his criticism of Haley, focusing on her physical appearance and cultural background as he argues that he is the most qualified candidate for the position. However, she is disregarding his criticisms, asserting that Trump is demonstrating that he is his own biggest adversary.
Meanwhile, Haley has been cautious in addressing Trump's criminal charges and numerous lawsuits. She expressed her unwavering confidence in the jury's decision, despite the recent ruling that ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages to writer E. Jean Carroll. However, she believes that this should not serve as a reason to disqualify him from the ballot.
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South Carolina Poll: Trump vs. Haley
According to a recent poll, it appears that Trump is poised to secure another significant victory over his 2024 opponent, Nikki Haley, this time in her own home state of South Carolina.
In the upcoming Feb. 24 Palmetto State GOP primary, Trump, 77, has garnered an impressive 58% support among likely voters, according to a survey conducted by the American Promise and the Tyson Group. Haley, aged 52, had the support of 31% of the respondents, while 11% were undecided about whom to back.
Haley received more support than Trump among all political and age groups surveyed, except for self-declared Democrats. Among Democrats, 49% expressed their support for Haley, while only 5% backed the former president. A significant majority of respondents (68%) expressed positive opinions of Trump, with 44% indicating strong favorability.
In contrast, a majority of respondents, 56%, expressed favorable opinions of Haley, although only a small percentage, 23%, described their views of her as "strongly favorable."
The economy and immigration emerged as the primary concerns for South Carolina voters, with a significant majority of 66% prioritizing the former as one of their top two issues. Additionally, half of the voters expressed their focus on addressing illegal immigration.
Haley's performance in the South Carolina contest comes after securing a respectable third-place finish in Iowa, trailing behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Additionally, she faced an 11 percentage-point defeat to the 45th president in New Hampshire.
The poll marked the debut of a significant survey for the first-in-the-South primary following the outcome in New Hampshire. Haley faces a challenging task in winning her home state, as over 150 current and former elected officials, including Gov. Henry McMaster and US Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, have given their endorsement to Trump.
Haley has consistently emphasized that she does not rely on the backing of the "political elite," attributing her lack of support to her past efforts to ensure accountability in the South Carolina government. In the midst of it all, Trump has proudly highlighted his backing in Haley's home state and extended invitations to his supporters from South Carolina to join him at his rallies in New Hampshire, making a clear statement to his opponent.
It's worth considering whether Nikki's focus on cognitive impairment aligns with her ability to gain traction in her home state of South Carolina within a month.
"Can you identify a state that Nikki has a strong chance of winning? There isn't one," stated Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump.
A recent online poll conducted between January 24-26 surveyed 543 likely Republican primary voters. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
