Nikki Haley wins first primary in Washington DC, defeating Donald Trump

Nikki Haley has emerged victorious over Donald Trump in the Republican primary in Washington D.C.

Nikki Haley has emerged victorious over Donald Trump in the Republican primary in Washington D.C., marking her first triumph against the former president in the 2024 race for the Republican presidential nomination. Despite losing in her home state of South Carolina, she has made history as the first woman to win a Republican primary in U.S. history. 

Although Haley secured all 19 Republican delegates available in Washington D.C., giving her a total of 43 delegates nationwide, she still trails significantly behind Trump, who has amassed 247 delegates. With a commanding lead, Trump is expected to be the Republican candidate facing Joe Biden in the November election. 

Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, captured 62.9% of the vote compared to Trump’s 33.2%. This victory, albeit symbolic, is noteworthy given that Washington D.C. leans heavily toward the Democratic Party, with a relatively small Republican voter base of about 23,000 registered members in the city. 

According to reports from the BBC’s U.S. partner CBS, 2,035 Republicans participated in the primary, as stated by the Washington Post. In response to her win, Haley’s national campaign spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cubas, remarked that it reflects a rejection of Trump and his disruptive approach by Republicans close to the dysfunction in Washington. 

In contrast, the Trump Campaign swiftly downplayed Haley’s success, labeling her as the “Queen of the Swamp.” The campaign’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, dismissed her victory as a coronation by lobbyists and D.C. insiders seeking to uphold the existing ineffective system. 

Despite this setback, Trump has dominated all state primaries and caucuses in the Republican campaign thus far. As the race intensifies on Super Tuesday, where voters from 15 states and one U.S. territory will select their candidate, Trump is poised to secure more delegates. This pivotal day features the largest number of nominating contests, with 874 Republican delegates up for grabs. 

Source: Newsroom