Former President Donald Trump will seek to extend his winning streak in the Michigan primary on Tuesday, putting another nail in the coffin of Nikki Haley’s presidential hopes.
Ms. Haley parachuted into Michigan two days after losing the South Carolina primary, ignoring calls for her to drop out so the party could coalesce around Mr. Trump.
“Donald Trump’s not watching out for the Republican Party,” Ms. Haley told supporters in Grand Rapids on Monday. “He isn’t watching out for America. “He’s looking out for himself.”
Ms. Haley, who served as the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, said her former boss “pushes people away from the Republican Party” and that this will come back to haunt the party up and down the ticket in the general election.
The reality, however, is that Mr. Trump has a significant lead in the most recent polls and is expected to cruise to another victory in Michigan, adding to his momentum.
Michigan is unique in that it employs a hybrid nomination process that includes a state-run primary on Tuesday and a statewide nominating GOP convention on Saturday, where the majority of delegates to the national convention will be up for grabs.
The duelling contests follow a law passed last year by the Democratic-controlled legislature that moved up the state’s primary date in order to gain more control over the early stages of the nomination process.
The primary race will determine 16 of the state’s 55 delegates, with the remainder awarded during the congressional district conventions.
Things could get messy due to a feud between different factions of the Republican Party, with the state GOP’s current and former chairs planning separate convention events.
The Democratic primary process is more straightforward, with delegates being awarded proportionally based on the results.
Mr. Biden is expected to win again, this time defeating a longshot challenge from Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips. However, Mr. Biden’s journey has not been without challenges.
According to a new Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey of Michigan voters, 69% intend to vote for Mr. Trump, 20% for Ms. Haley, and 11% remain undecided. He received criticism from Michigan’s large Arab American community, including promises to vote for the “uncommitted” option on the Democratic ballot, because Mr. Biden supports Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
READ ALSO: 3 Things To Watch In Michigan’s Presidential Primary