If voters are focused on immigration, as the preliminary exit polling shows, that almost certainly plays to Trump’s strengths. In a February poll from The Citadel School of Humanities and Social Sciences, 85 percent of likely GOP primary voters in South Carolina said that they supported the use of state funds under Gov. Henry McMaster’s order to deploy South Carolina National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border last year, while just 11 percent opposed the decision. Among South Carolina voters overall, 57 percent supported the decision, while 35 percent opposed it. This echoes Trump’s position on the issue.

—Mary Radcliffe, 538

I’m reminded that in 2022, Haley stuck her neck out for 1st District Rep. Nancy Mace when Mace faced a Trump-endorsed challenger in the GOP primary. Haley even cut an ad for Mace who went on to defeat her opponent by just 8 points. Mace returned the favor by endorsing Trump over Haley in this year’s primary.

—Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections

As they cast their ballots for the former president, many Palmetto State voters had immigration and economy on the brain, according to preliminary results from ABC News exit polling. A staggering 71 percent said they trusted Trump more on border security, compared to 27 percent who said they trusted Haley more, and by 69 percent said they trusted Trump more on the economy. They were unconvinced by Haley’s recent pivot to frame Trump as old and incompetent — 71 percent of voters said Trump had both the physical and mental health necessary to be president, while only 59 percent said Haley did.

As Geoffrey wrote earlier this week, the state’s electorate is part of what gave Trump such a sharp edge tonight, and the preliminary exit polling demonstrates it: 61 percent of Republican voters in the exit polling identified themselves as evangelical white Christians, and of them, Trump won 75 percent of the vote.

—Kaleigh Rogers, 538

Update on the delegate watch: At about 24 percent reporting statewide, ABC News projects Trump has won 38 delegates out of 50 so far. That includes 29 delegates for winning the state popular vote and 9 for winning 3 congressional districts. There are 12 delegates from 4 districts where ABC News has yet to make projections — but Trump currently leads every CD by at least 10 points! But in the district that would be most favorable to Haley, CD-01, home to Charleston, we have few votes. So she could end up getting 3 delegates tonight ... in her home state.

—G. Elliott Morris, 538

Haley addressed supporters at about 8:30 p.m. Eastern, and vowed to stay in the race: "I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina I would continue to run for president, and I’m a woman of my word," she said. Haley said she was frustrated and worried about the future of the country and the world, and that she was running to save it. "America will come apart if we make the wrong choices," she said. Again, Haley presented her case as one of electability. She said that we couldn't live with four more years of Biden's failures or Trump's lack of focus, and that the voters in future primaries deserved a choice, not a "Soviet-style election" with one candidate. With about 40 percent of the vote (as of now), she noted that it was roughly the same amount she'd gotten in New Hampshire. "I’m an accountant. I know 40 percent is not 50 percent," she said. "But I also know 40 percent is not some tiny group." Those people were looking for an alternative, and she said she shared their frustration. The electability argument is one that Republican primary voters aren't buying.

—Monica Potts, 538