Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley declared Tuesday night that the Republican presidential race is “not over” even though she fell short of her goal of upsetting former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire's primary.
“New Hampshire is the best in America, but it's not the last in America,” Haley, 52, told supporters in Concord minutes after Trump's victory was reported by the media. “This race isn't over yet. There are still dozens of states left. And next up is my favorite state, South Carolina.”
Haley initially pinned her campaign's hopes on a shock victory in the Granite State, backed by popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu and 2022 Republican Senate candidate Don Bolduc. , that support was not enough to prevent an election campaign from being held.Last voting closed at 8 p.m.
With an estimated vote count of 36%, the former president's approval rating was 53.6% and Haley's approval rating was 45.3%.
But in her concession speech, Haley said she had received “nearly half of the votes” and “will continue to rise in the rankings.”
Live election results from New Hampshire
New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan predicted high turnout322,000 Granite State residents are expected to vote in the Republican primary and 88,000 in the Democratic primary.
But even as more than 50,000 New Hampshire independents, or undeclared voters, prepared to vote for Ms. Haley, Ms. Trump won, and among her supporters, the former U.N. ambassador's resignation The voices calling for it became louder.
Haley thanked Sununu, Bolduc and others for their support and said, “I want to congratulate Donald Trump.”
She went on to slam the “political class,” which she said was “falling down saying this election is over,” before attacking both President Trump and President Biden.
“With Donald Trump, it's one mess after another: this trial, that controversy, this tweet, that big moment,” Haley said. “You can’t fix Joe Biden’s mess with Republican mess.”
Her remarks also referenced a gaffe by the former president in a speech to supporters on the eve of the primary election, in which he confused Ms. Haley with House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and said, “1 “They accused me of not providing security at the Capitol on May 6th.” ”
“The biggest secret in politics is how hard Democrats want to take on Donald Trump,” Haley added.
“South Carolina voters don't want a coronation. They want an election,” she concluded, offering the front-runner another invitation to a debate. “We're just getting started.”
“Thank you for your love of New Hampshire. We are heading home to South Carolina,” she concluded.
Trump deleted some posts. on his Truth Social account In her speech, Haley pointed to her large lead in the polls over Biden in the general election.
“Haley said she had to win New Hampshire. She didn't!!!” he said. “She just lost Nevada. Next up is Nevada!”
Earlier Tuesday, President Trump told reporters he did not consider Haley a “threat.”
“I don't care if she stays here. Let her do what she wants.'' That's not the issue,'' he said outside a polling station in Londonderry.
The two will next face off in the Feb. 24 election, after Haley sidestepped the Feb. 8 Nevada Republican caucus in favor of a non-binding Feb. 6 primary. south carolina Trump has a lead of more than 30 points in the primary, according to RealClearPolitics average.
