December 22, 2024
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Preview of the South Carolina primary with the latest election updates

American Pulse Daily03 mins

2:35 p.m. ET, February 23, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About Tomorrow’s South Carolina GOP Primary


Analysis by Zachary B. Wolf and Ethan Cohen



Election officials direct voters during the first day of early voting at a polling station in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday, February 12.

Allison Joyce/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump leads in the Republican presidential primary, but the race is far from over. The next major event is South Carolina’s primary, scheduled for Saturday. Here’s what you should know:

Candidates: The prominent contenders include Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the third consecutive presidential election. His main challenger is former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who also served as US ambassador to the United Nations during Trump’s presidency.

Who can vote? South Carolina’s primaries are open, allowing any registered voter to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary, but not both. The Democratic primary already took place in February, resulting in an easy win for President Joe Biden.

If Trump wins South Carolina, is the primary over? Not technically. A total of 1,215 delegates are needed for Trump or any candidate to secure the Republican nomination. Only 50 delegates are up for grabs in South Carolina. Trump currently leads with 63 delegates compared to Haley’s 17. The pivotal Super Tuesday on March 5 offers the largest delegate count.

Why was the Democratic primary on a different date? South Carolina allows each party to select the date of their presidential primary, resulting in separate dates for the Democrat and Republican primaries. Biden’s strong performance in South Carolina in 2020 reignited his campaign after early setbacks, making the state a significant event in the Democratic calendar.

State demographics: As per the 2020 Census, South Carolina comprises approximately 62% White, 25% Black, and nearly 7% Hispanic populations. However, Republican primary voters predominantly consist of White individuals, with minimal Black voter representation.

Additional Insights on the South Carolina GOP Primary

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