Nikki Haley Secures First Primary Victory Over Donald Trump in Washington DC.
By Caroline Ameh
Nikki Haley clinched victory over former President Donald Trump in the Republican primary held in Washington DC, marking her first win against the formidable opponent in the 2024 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Despite a previous loss in her home state of South Carolina, Haley’s triumph in the nation’s capital makes her the first woman in US history to secure a Republican primary win. The outcome underscores a shifting landscape within the Republican Party.
According to reports, Haley will receive all 19 Republican delegates at stake in Washington DC, bringing her delegate count to 43 nationwide, still trailing far behind Trump’s commanding lead of 247 delegates.
Haley garnered 62.9% of the vote, compared to Trump’s 33.2%, according to official figures. However, analysts caution that the victory is largely symbolic, given the overwhelmingly Democratic-leaning nature of Washington DC, where registered Republicans number only around 23,000.
Local party officials disclosed that 2,035 Republicans participated in the primary, as reported by the Washington Post.
Reacting to the outcome, Olivia Perez-Cubas, national spokesperson for Haley’s campaign, remarked, “it’s not surprising that Republicans closest to Washington dysfunction are rejecting Donald Trump and all his chaos.”
Trump has maintained a dominant presence throughout the Republican primary season, winning every state primary or caucus so far. He is poised to secure more delegates on Super Tuesday, when voters in 15 states and one US territory will cast their ballots, with a total of 874 Republican delegates up for grabs.
