Haley says she won’t drop out, regardless of South Carolina primary result

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has no plans to drop out of the race regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s South Carolina primary, despite polls showing her trailing former President Trump by a wide margin in her home state. he said.

Haley told The Associated Press. in an interview He will remain in the race for the Republican nomination until at least Super Tuesday, March 5, when primaries and caucuses will be held in more than a dozen states.

She noted that most states have not yet held elections and many will vote soon after South Carolina.

“Ten days after South Carolina, 20 more states will vote. So this is not Russia. We don’t want someone to go to the polls and get 99 percent of the votes,” Haley said. he said. “What is Rush? Why is everyone so panicked that I have to withdraw from this race?”

Polls nationwide and in South Carolina, where Haley was twice elected governor, showed Trump with a significant lead just days after the primary. Trump has a roughly 30-point lead over Haley in the Palmetto State, according to The Hill/Decision Desk polling average.

But Haley rejected calls to withdraw from the race, saying continuing to run would hurt President Trump’s chances of defeating President Biden in November, saying, “This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. ”

“If he withdraws from the race today, it will be the longest general election in history,” she said.

The Associated Press reported that Haley’s travel schedule obtained by the station shows the candidate plans to visit 11 locations in more than six states in the seven days following the South Carolina primary. Ta.

The interview was conducted ahead of Haley’s planned speech on the current state of the campaign ahead of the primary.

Haley too told CBS News In an interview, the campaign said it is working to compete in every state and has voted in only three so far. She said she would reach the nomination by working “one state at a time.”

“The political elites are telling you to get out. Why? Why should you get out? Don’t we want the states to vote? Let them vote.” she said.

Haley continues to raise large sums of money as Trump’s last viable challenger, raising $16.5 million in January, the best fundraising month of her campaign.