South Carolina primary 2024: Trump projected to win, Haley vows to stay in the race

Remember that the primary is ultimately all about the delegates candidates win to vote for them at the RNC in July. In the delegate math tonight, Trump is coming out way ahead. South Carolina awards delegates in two sets: 29 are awarded to the winner of the statewide popular vote (which are all going to Trump tonight) and the remaining 21 are split equally between the remaining 7 congressional districts. According to ABC's delegate projections Trump has already won 38 delegates tonight, with 12 left to assign in 4 more districts. But if Trump is heading for a 30-point margin statewide, it's unlikely Haley will win any of those that remain.

Our delegate benchmarks model had Haley needing all 50 tonight to be on track for the GOP nomination. It is her home state, after all.

—G. Elliott Morris, 538

Am I the only one who uses the term "bet your bippy"??

—Nathaniel Rakich, 538

Right, so why is Haley sticking around if Trump is the presumptive nominee? We've put together a few hypotheses — spite, in case something happens, sticking it to the man etc — but, as ever with politicians, we cannot discount the possibility that she's in it for her. I keep thinking of Beto O'Rourke's "born to run" comments in the 2020 primary. A lot of politicians think this way!

—G. Elliott Morris, 538

Nathaniel …

—Kaleigh Rogers, 538