Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has secured a significant victory in the Washington D.C. Republican primary, marking her first win in the GOP nominating process and a symbolic triumph in the broader U.S. presidential election race.
Haley, who has emerged as the primary challenger to former President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential nomination race, garnered 62.9% of the vote in Washington D.C., compared to Trump’s 33.2%, according to Edison Research.
Despite her victory, Haley faces formidable odds in her bid to secure the nomination to challenge likely Democratic nominee President Joe Biden in the November election. Trump had won the first eight nominating contests by considerable margins before being defeated by Haley in the nation’s capital.
Nikki Haley (Credits: ABC News)
“It’s not surprising that Republicans closest to Washington dysfunction are rejecting Donald Trump and all his chaos,” remarked Haley’s spokesperson, Olivia Perez-Cubas.
Washington, D.C., is predominantly urban and boasts a relatively high proportion of college-educated residents. This demographic has not traditionally aligned with Trump’s base, which tends to skew rural and has a higher prevalence in areas with lower educational attainment.
The city is also home to many federal workers, whom Trump and his allies have vowed to replace with loyalists if he is reelected. Trump has often referred to the D.C. area as the “swamp,” suggesting it is plagued by corruption and out-of-touch elites.
Reacting to Haley’s victory, Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, reiterated the campaign’s commitment to “drain the swamp” and prioritize America’s interests. Despite her win, Haley still has a long way to go to secure the 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination.
However, her victory in Washington D.C. could help dispel criticism that she is unable to win any nominating contests, though some Republicans may view her popularity in the capital negatively due to its association with the “swamp.”
This rejection of Trump by Republicans in the capital is not unprecedented. In the 2016 competitive Republican nominating contest in D.C., Trump received less than 14% of the vote and no delegates despite ultimately winning the nomination nationally.
The D.C. primary occurred ahead of “Super Tuesday,” when voters in 15 states and one U.S. territory will participate in the biggest day of nominating contests in the presidential primary, with 874 Republican delegates up for grabs. The Democratic primary in Washington, D.C., is scheduled for June.
