2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is in Washington, D.C., today to try to court the few Republican voters in that nation’s Democratic capital, which may be her best chance to beat Donald Trump in a primary contest.
Trump and Haley are vying for the district’s coveted 19 Republican delegates, and it’s a primary race to watch that will likely go down to the wire.
Republicans in the nation’s capital can cast their ballots during the party’s closed primaries at one location, the Madison Hotel, from Friday to Sunday.
And DC may be Haley’s best (and only) chance to beat Trump in any primary.
In 2016, Trump finished a distant third in the D.C. Republican primary, behind Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. And although he won in 2020 in an uncontested race, only about 2,800 Republicans voted.
The former South Carolina governor made a stop at the Madison Hotel on Friday after polls opened to rally the district’s roughly 23,000 registered Republicans to back her against Trump.
She made a joke at the top, joking, “Who says there aren’t any Republicans in DC!” drawing laughter from the crowd of Republican voters who live in a predominantly Democratic district.
The former South Carolina governor made a stop at the Madison Hotel on Friday afternoon after polls opened to ask the district’s few Republicans to back her against Trump.
2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley is in Washington, DC, today to try to woo the district’s few Republican voters in that nation’s capital.
The Trump campaign is indicating that the race in DC is not that important since 15 states and one territory will vote on Super Tuesday.
The 2024 hopeful reviewed her speech criticizing the inefficiency of Congress, which had good results in the DC-based group, and the failures of Biden and Trump on the economy and immigration.
Haley urged voters to “make noise” and gather friends and family to “send a message” in the primary that “we have to go in a new direction.”
“I can’t believe this is the only place you can vote,” he joked, laughing among the approximately 150 people gathered in a small space inside the hotel.
“So you can’t leave until you vote,” he joked.
‘This is the time when we need to take a new direction with a new generation, a leader who can work eight years, day and night. No negativity, no drama, no vendettas, just harsh results for the American people. Is the time.’
Republican voters in the crowd Friday said they are fed up with Trump and want Haley to restore a sense of dignity to the office of president.
DC voter Dan Schubert told DailyMail.com he’s voting for Nikki because America needs a “new face” in the White House after years of “chaos” by Trump and Biden.
“Now we have an alternative to have a bright future with an intelligent and experienced candidate who will take our country in a bright new direction,” he added.
Dan said the “energy in the room” during her remarks shows there is momentum for her and she has a “tremendous chance to win this weekend.”
“I think if he wins the District of Columbia, I think Super Tuesday will be a little different,” he added.
National security was an especially important issue for the assembled voters, who cited it as their top concern.
Another DC voter, Laura, told DailyMail.com that Haley is efficient on the issue.
“A big part of the president’s job is foreign relations,” he said. “And I think (Haley) would do a better job than any of the other candidates who are still in the race.”
He also said it’s time for a “pro-life president” in the White House.
The Trump campaign is indicating that the race in DC is not that important since 15 states and one territory will vote on Super Tuesday, which will be celebrated on March 5.
There are 874 delegates at stake (36 percent) of all delegates to this summer’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“Republican voters have achieved resounding victories for President Trump in every primary election and this race is over,” a Trump campaign spokesperson said.
“Our focus now is on Joe Biden and the general election.”
His campaign sent text messages to area voters urging them to head to the Madison Hotel and vote.
Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are the three remaining in the 2024 race
Haley’s campaign has been urging voters in the district to come to the hotel.
Haley’s campaign isn’t losing momentum: She also revealed early Friday that her campaign raised $12 million in February alone despite losing every primary election so far.
‘Make sure you vote. President Trump needs you!’ reads a text obtained by DailyMail.com.
‘Do not be late. GO OUT AND VOTE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.’
The former South Carolina governor has pledged to stay in the race at least until Super Tuesday.
Trump is up 81 percent to Haley’s 18 percent in the most recent 2024 Republican primary poll by Morning Consult.
But his campaign isn’t losing momentum: He also revealed early Friday that his campaign raised $12 million in February alone despite losing every primary election so far.
Haley’s campaign has been urging voters in the district to come to the hotel, saying in a text that “we cannot afford four more years of Biden’s failures or Trump’s lack of focus.”
“You deserve better than having to choose between Joe Biden and Donald Trump,” Haley says in the campaign text.
Other Republican candidates on the D.C. ballot include: David Stuckenberg, a businessman, Ryan Binkley, Doug Burgum, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy.
Both early voting and absentee voting were not allowed in the D.C. Republican primary.
According to the Associated Press, only two voters requested a military or overseas mail-in ballot in 2016.
If a candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, he or she will take the 19 delegates; otherwise, they will be divided proportionally.
Polls in DC will close on Sunday at 7 pm ET.