Donald Trump left FURIOUS as Nikki Haley vows to fight on after losing in New Hampshire
Donald Trump lashed out at Nikki Haley the New Hampshire primary
REUTERS
Donald Trump criticised Nikki Haley after she vowed to continue her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination despite suffering a resounding loss in the New Hampshire primary.
The former UN Ambassador managed just 43.7 per cent of the vote compared to the former president’s 54.2 per cent and received 30,000 fewer votes [at time of writing].
Around an hour after polls closed Haley conceded defeat in New Hampshire but refused to suspend her campaign, saying “I’m a fighter and I’m scrappy.”
“This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go and the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina.”
Nikki Haley said the first party to not have an 80 year old candidate would win the election
REUTERS
A clearly frustrated Trump responded in typical fashion in his victory speech, saying “You can’t let people get away with bulls***t.”
“Who the hell was the imposter who went up on stage before and claimed a victory? She failed badly… She didn’t win. She lost.”
Flanked on stage by former challengers Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Trump claimed it was the second time Haley has tried to present a loss as a win, including her third-place finish in Iowa.
Saying “I don't get too angry, I get even.” Trump predicted, “I think we’re going to win easily [in South Carolina].”
Donald Trump accused Nikki Haley of 'bulls**t'
REUTERS
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden issued a statement saying “It is now clear that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee.
“And my message to the country is the stakes could not be higher. Our Democracy. Our political freedoms - from the right to choose to the right to vote. Our economy - which has seen the strongest recovery in the world since Covid. All are at stake.”
Although the next primary is exactly a month away in Haley’s home state, she’ll be hoping she can last at least until Super Tuesday when 16 states go to the polls in early March.
That will largely depend on whether she can show her financial donors enough momentum to keep her candidacy alive.
In recent days Haley has started to increase her personal attacks against Donald Trump including focusing on a recent gaff where he appeared to confuse her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Tonight she called for presidential candidates aged 75 and older to undergo “mental competency tests” and claimed that most Americans do not want a 2020 rematch.
“The first party that retires its 80-year-old candidate will win this election,” Haley said.