MAGA Mocks Nikki Haley for Stinging Defeat in Home State

Make America Great Again (MAGA) figures have mocked Nikki Haley, after the politician was defeated by Donald Trump in her home state of South Carolina in its Republican primary.

Trump, the former president and the overall GOP frontrunner, won the state with 59.8 percent of the vote, according to The Associated Press. Haley, who is also a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, garnered 39.5 percent of the vote share, having defiantly refused to quit the race, against the odds.

Newsweek contacted representatives for Haley by email to comment on this story.

Having lost, MAGA figures were quick to rub salt into her wound.

"Nothing makes you look like a winner more than losing a primary in your home state by 20+ points after vastly outspending the opposition," said Florida Republican Matt Gaetz on X, formerly Twitter.

Collin Rugg, co-founder of conservative site Trending Politics, called Haley's decision to remain in the race "next level delusion."

The MAGA War Room account said Haley "failed."

Influential MAGA account Catturd, which has over 2.4 million followers, said: "I'd love to dunk on Nikki Haley supporters right now but there aren't any."

Conservative host Jeff Dornik called Haley "delusional."

Far-right activist Laura Loomer said Haley had been "destroyed" by Trump, and attacked her for her spending on the election.

However, she did receive some support.

Akash Chougule, vice president of the think tank Americans for Prosperity, said: "Once again Haley overperformed and Trump underperformed expectations. He is too weak among decisive general election swing voter groups AND Republicans. He will hurt Republicans down-ballot. GOP voters in every state deserve to see an alternative vision. Keep going, Nikki Haley."

Kevin Gaughen, co-founder of the US Liberal Party, said: "Thank you for not dropping out, Nikki Haley. What you're doing is incredibly important! You just showed the world that Trump lacks the support of 39 percent of his own Republican Party, which means he has no chance in the general election. You've shown everyone how weak he really is."

"This is a little sooner than we anticipated," Trump said during his victory speech roughly 10 minutes after the polls closed. "And an even BIGGER WIN than we anticipated. I was just informed that we got double the number of votes that has ever been received in the great state of South Carolina so that's pretty good so it's a record times two."

"I said earlier this week, that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president," Haley said in a speech on Saturday night. "I'm a woman of my word."

Trump and Haley's next big challenge will take place on Super Tuesday, on March 5, when 16 states and territories will cast their ballots on the same day.

In the Republican primaries as a whole, Trump is projected to win 76.7 percent of the vote share while Haley is on 15.6 percent, according to the latest data from polling aggregator FiveThirtyEight.