Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley secured her first GOP presidential nominating contest victory on Sunday. She emerged triumphant in the Washington, D.C. primary, as projected by NBC News. This win is seen as a crucial boost for her campaign, as it aims to gain momentum for the upcoming Super Tuesday contests.
Haley, who emerged victorious in the primary against former President Donald Trump, has been maintaining her commitment to remain in the race until Super Tuesday. On this crucial day, 15 states and American Samoa will hold nominating contests. However, Trump’s popularity is widespread in these states according to public polls, and he is projected to significantly increase his delegate advantage.
In the GOP primary vote, Haley emerged as the clear winner, securing 63% of the votes compared to Trump’s 33%. More than 2,000 Washington Republicans participated in the election, leading to Haley’s victory. As a result of receiving more than half of the vote, she earned all 19 delegates from the District.
Washington’s moderate Republicans, many of whom are involved in politics or government, are considered distinct from their counterparts in other early states such as South Carolina and Iowa. This created an opportunity for Haley to achieve her first significant triumph, as Trump only received 14% of the vote in Washington’s 2016 primary.
With low expectations for turnout, a different scenario unfolded in this contest compared to others. The anticipation of thin margins added an element of unpredictability.
“It’s estimated that there could be anywhere from 2,000 to 6,000 voters,” stated Patrick Mara, the Washington GOP chair, during a recent interview. He further emphasized that this wide range of potential voters presents a unique opportunity for any candidate to secure a victory. Ultimately, the outcome will heavily rely on voter turnout and the strategies employed by the campaigns.”
In the 2016 GOP primary, Sen. Marco Rubio emerged victorious with approximately 2,800 votes cast. Sen. Mitt Romney, the party’s 2012 nominee, secured the victory in a contest that saw 5,200 votes cast. Similarly, in 2008, eventual Republican nominee John McCain prevailed with roughly 6,200 votes cast.
Mara mentioned that both Haley’s and Trump’s campaigns were actively engaging in various voter outreach strategies. They were sending text messages, making phone calls, and even having volunteers go door to door to encourage voter turnout.
The local Republican Party runs the primary, which is different from the nominating contests in other states. To vote, people had to go to the Madison Hotel, the only polling location available.
“It’s the party that runs it, so it’s a unique experience, and we foot the bill,” he explained. “This implies that Republicans in Washington had to be incentivized to make their way to downtown D.C. and vote at a hotel.”
According to him, Trump’s success in the initial primary states and the perception of the Republican nomination process also played a role in the low voter turnout.
Mara mentioned that the typical Republican in Washington is politically knowledgeable and adept at handling the media. They have been exposed to news coverage that claims the race is already decided.