In the South Carolina Republican primary held on Saturday, Donald Trump secured a decisive victory, easily surpassing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who hails from the state.

This win further solidifies Trump’s trajectory toward a third consecutive GOP nomination, having previously emerged victorious in key contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Despite pressure mounting on Haley to exit the race, she remains resolute in her commitment to continue, even after losing in the state where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017.

The prospect of a 2020 rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden is becoming increasingly likely.

Haley, determined to stay in the race through at least Super Tuesday on March 5, couldn’t impede Trump’s momentum in her home state, despite an increased number of campaign events and arguments that legal challenges against Trump would hinder his chances against Biden.

South Carolina’s first-in-the-South primary has historically been a reliable indicator for Republican nominees, with the winner in South Carolina going on to secure the party’s nomination in nearly every primary since 1980, except for the 2012 exception of Newt Gingrich, the Associated Press reported.

Trump demonstrated dominance across the state, even leading in Lexington County, a region Haley represented in the state Legislature.

Despite having garnered support from South Carolinians who backed Haley during her gubernatorial tenure, Trump maintained a strong presence, indicating that even a home-state advantage wasn’t enough for Haley in this primary.

Written by B.C. Begley