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Haley moves on to South Carolina despite GOP pressure to drop out

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Haley moves on to South Carolina despite GOP pressure to drop out


Nikki Haley is facing broadening calls to drop out of the GOP primary even as she publicly signals no intention to do so ahead of South Carolina’s contest next month. 

The head of the Republican National Committee (RNC), the Georgia Republican Party and growing numbers of GOP lawmakers are urging her to drop out, arguing she has no realistic path to the nomination against frontrunner former President Trump. 

There are incentives for Haley to keep going, but also risks. She’s up to 17 delegates after New Hampshire and has the potential to win more in the coming primaries, which could set her up to be an alternate nominee to Trump as he faces myriad legal battles. 

At the same time, Haley could become demonized within the GOP if her campaign ends up angering rank-and-file Republican voters who want the party to unify behind its likely nominee. 

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By sticking in the race, Haley risks being “persona non grata with MAGA world, and Trump and his entourage,” said Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser.  

“She’ll be vilified in that space,” he said, arguing Haley will be “seen as being obstinate” in the face of top party voices calling for support to rally behind Trump.  

One Trump ally in the RNC submitted a draft resolution that made headlines this week, proposing the party declare the former president as its “presumptive 2024 nominee” even as he boasts just 32 of the 1,215 delegates needed to get the nod.  

The draft argued there was no path forward for Haley and moved to kick the party into “full general election mode welcoming supporters of all candidates as valued members of Team Trump 2024.”  

But although Trump has suggested Haley should suspend her campaign, he came out quickly to call for the RNC to back off reviewing the proposal “for the sake of PARTY UNITY,” stressing the party should “finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX.” 

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The draft was reportedly withdrawn before it could come under consideration at the RNC’s winter meeting next week. 

Trump’s move to intervene in the effort — which could have cut the primary race short after just two states weighed in — suggests he’s confident he can win in South Carolina, Haley’s home state and the next major test in the presidential race.

“He wants to be able to say, ‘we were head-to-head, and I beat her handily, and I don’t need the party to necessarily pave the way for me,’” Steinhauser said.  

At the same time, it also indicates the former president is aware of fissures within his party, and is working to get ahead of them as he guns toward the general.  

“He’s got to have the support of Haley’s people in the general,” said South Carolina-based Republican strategist Chip Felkel.  

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The numbers out of New Hampshire show Haley has the backing of some disaffected Republicans, moderates and independents, Felkel noted, and Trump must work to avoid alienating those groups as he knocks his primary rival.  

“He’s got to have those votes if he’s going to beat Biden,” Felkel said.  

But even though Trump stepped in to put down the RNC draft resolution, he and his allies are still upping pressure on Haley to drop out of the race on her own.  

Trump — who in 2020 sought to claim victory even as votes were still being counted and continues to deny the results of the election — was noticeably annoyed by Haley’s positive framing of her second-place New Hampshire win.  

His campaign sent out a fundraising email with the subject line, “Suspend your campaign!” targeting Haley, and the Trump-aligned super PAC, MAGA Inc., said after New Hampshire that it was time for Haley to drop out.  

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“Every day that Nikki Haley stays in the race is an in-kind contribution to the Biden campaign,” Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, wrote on X

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said after Trump’s back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire that the party needs to unify “around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump.”    

And in an unusual move that drew criticism from some conservatives, the Georgia GOP also directly urged the party “to move to the general election phase of this campaign” and unite behind “eventual nominee” Trump so resources can focus on the likely head-to-head with Biden. 

The chair of the Republican Senate campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines (Mont.), also said this week the Republican nomination fight is over and agreed that Haley should exit the field. 

But as Trump’s allies tighten the screws on the former U.N. ambassador, Haley is marching forward to South Carolina, which votes Feb. 24. 

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“This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go,” Haley said in her post-New Hampshire remarks.    

“South Carolinians don’t want the DC swamp telling them what to do. They know this race is far from over!” she said Friday on X. Her campaign is already running ads and making appearances in preparation for the first-in-the-South primary. 

Strategists are nevertheless split on whether the former South Carolina governor will stay in the race until her home state contest.  

Polling averages for South Carolina put Trump more than 30 points above Haley, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, and some observers are skeptical of whether she has the momentum to keep going — and whether she’ll want to risk embarrassment on her home turf.  

Steinhauser thinks the pressure to drop out is “only going to increase” as the next major primary nears and doesn’t think it’s a “foregone conclusion” that she stays in until South Carolina. 

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But with the race now a one-on-one between Haley and Trump, Steinhauser suggested she’s also relishing the media attention, the continued support of her backers and her elevated national profile.  

Felkel predicted she’ll stay in until her home state — and might even hang on if she loses there, too. 

“She’s playing the long game. Maybe she’s counting on a little help from some juries,” Felkel said, with a nod to Trump’s various legal battles.  

Trump is campaigning amid multiple criminal indictments, and some have floated that Haley is waiting in the wings in case the former president’s bid is curtailed by his courtroom battles.  

She’s leaned into her electability argument as she campaigns, highlighting polling that shows her putting up a better fight than Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup with Biden.

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“If Republicans want to beat Biden, they should nominate Nikki Haley because she’s the only candidate who crushes him by double digits in all the polls. Trump barely squeaks by on a good day. That won’t change as millions more voters get to have a say in choosing our candidate,” a Haley campaign spokesperson told The Hill.

As long as Haley carries on, the former president will not be able to tap into a joint fundraising deal with the RNC that would allow donors to max out contributions and boost the former president’s coffers ahead of what is shaping up to be a lengthy general election campaign. 

“Any day the Trump campaign is focused on Nikki Haley is a day they could be going after Joe Biden,” said GOP strategist Brian Seitchik.

“The longer this thing drags out, the more enemies she’s going to make, the more incoming she’s going to take, the less likely it’s going to be that she has an opportunity to get a promotion down the road,” Seitchik said.

But Felkel argued Haley’s probably already angered the former president on that front, and therefore unlikely to score a potential Trump Cabinet position or other gains by dropping out at this point. “What’s she got to lose?”

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Brett Samuels contributed.

Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.





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South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 15, 2025

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South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Dec. 15, 2025


play

The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 15, 2025, results for each game:

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Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

23-35-59-63-68, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 5-9-2, FB: 6

Evening: 1-3-7, FB: 2

Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 0-2-2-8, FB: 6

Evening: 7-5-9-6, FB: 2

Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 10

Evening: 15

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Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

04-07-16-25-35

Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:

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For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.

Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.

SC Education Lottery

P.O. Box 11039

Columbia, SC 29211-1039

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For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.

Columbia Claims Center

1303 Assembly Street

Columbia, SC 29201

Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.

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For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.

When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
  • Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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South Carolina Football: Gamecocks Tight End Plans to Return for Sixth Season

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South Carolina Football: Gamecocks Tight End Plans to Return for Sixth Season


After losing one tight end to the transfer portal and another from eligibility requirements South Carolina was thin coming into the 2026 offseason in that room. Now it appears they will at least get a veteran back as Brady Hunt plans to return to the Gamecocks for his sixth season of college football.

An ankle injury that required Hunt to miss all of 2023, has given him new life in 2026 as he will play his final season with the Garnet and Black next fall. The 6-foot-5 and 248 pound tight end from Muncie, Indiana, transferred to South Carolina in 2024 for his redshirt junior season. Hunt caught 23 passes for 190 yards while adding two rushing touchdowns in 22 games for the Gamecocks in his two seasons.

Over the weekend, Hunt took to Instagram to announce his decision. He posted a photo of himself before a game with the caption “One more go around.” On3 Sports’ first reported the news after getting confirmation that he will get his an extra season of eligibility.

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Tight End Depth

Oct 12, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks tight end Brady Hunt (87) during the second half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images | Butch Dill-Imagn Images
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With Hunt’s return to the Gamecocks, he is the leader in the room that is now without Michael Smith (transfer) and Jordan Dingle (eligibility). Mike Tyler, Maurice Brown II, Lukas Vozeh, and Reno Roehm make up the rest of the tight end room behind Hunt so far for next season. Hunt is the only one in the group that has seen significant snaps in a Gamecocks uniform.

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This is one area the Gamecocks’ coaching staff will have to hit hard in the transfer portal once it opens on Jan. 2. The tight end spot has been a nice safety valve for quarterback LaNorris Sellers in his time as a starter, so getting a proven veteran to join the team will be near the top of the list during this transfer cycle.

Outside of tight end, Shane Beamer and company will look to fill holes at the wide receiver, running back, offensive line, defensive line, and secondary spots this offseason.

Join the community:

  • Follow Alex Joyce on Twitter: @AlexJoyceSI
  • Follow Joey Walraven on Twitter: @thejoeywalraven

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking “Follow” on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to follow us on X at @GamecocksDigest and on Facebook!

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Everything Dawn Staley said after South Carolina’s win over Penn State

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Everything Dawn Staley said after South Carolina’s win over Penn State


South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley spoke to local media following a 95-55 victory over Penn State.

Here is everything she said.

NEW! Message board for South Carolina Women’s Basketball! 🏀

Dawn, you knew Madina Okot was gonna be out. What was the plan to try to limit Gracie Merkle in the paint?

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“I mean, we wanted to just make sure that she didn’t get any direct passes in her direction. And in order for you to do that, you always have to have your feet higher than hers, you always have to be in front when you are one pass away. Feet above, two passes away. And then when the ball goes in the air, we don’t just go for the ball, we actually just maintain contact with her and crowding her space. So I think Maryam [Dauda] and Ahdel [Tac] didn’t perfect that until today.”

Joyce Edwards had three different career highs today. I know you expect this kind of play from her, but just how crucial was it to play the way she did without Madina?

“You know, Joyce is gonna play that way with Madina, without Madina, with anybody. If it’s a game with a ball that’s being played, she’s gonna play to the best of her ability. I mean, she’s just playing really loose and just finding a way to impact the game through an entire stat line. Do we want the rebounding to be a little bit better? Yes, we do. But the other stuff, the five assists and no turnovers, you know, the six steals, four blocks, like, you know, that is who she is. And I do think we are working with her to just kind of be more than a scorer, because she is one thing that can pretty much fill a stat sheet. It wasn’t at times where she did that. Now she’s aware of it now. And she’s executed.”

Obviously, you don’t want to force any offense from anyone, but just your overall thoughts on the offensive bench production so far, nearing SEC play?

“Just improving. We want to just improve. What that looks like for us is taking good shots, okay? I mean, and that’s basically it. It’s not, you know, if we’re gonna get comfortable, I don’t think all of them are comfortable, and that’s okay to me. They don’t have to be comfortable. When you’re comfortable, you probably lend yourself to doing stuff that you’re not supposed to do. So there’s a little bit of fear of not doing the right thing, which keeps us a little more disciplined. But, you know, I like what we’re bringing to the table. I don’t think, you know, I think Maddy [McDaniel is] starting to get back into the swing of things. Ayla [McDowell] is holding her. I think we can get a little bit more out of Ahdel and Maryam, so we just continue to work with that. And I think it’s good that Madina didn’t play, you know, and they can build some confidence. Definitely defensively, offensively will get the go a little bit.”

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Coach, huge discrepancy in the turnover margin, 26 to 5. What did you see and what did you like from your team in terms of taking care of the ball?

“I like the fact that we took care of the ball and we had great ball movement at times, like really good ball movement. We thought they were going to press us a little bit more, and they didn’t. So we just executed. We moved the ball; we had 20 assists on 37 field goals. I mean, we’re moving in the right direction. So I like the fact that we have single-digit turnovers.”

I know it’s been a tough season just with injuries and illnesses and things, but what are the positives for the healthy players, having to adjust, you know, maybe being a bit uncomfortable? What are the positives for them in those situations?

I mean, I think the positive is mentally they’re going to the games, that they’re gonna play a whole lot of minutes, and they haven’t conserved. Like, they haven’t conserved defensively. They surely aren’t going to conserve offensively. But I just like their mentality, which is the next woman of, like, whether we have eight to practice with, we’re just going to keep moving forward. If we can add another player to the mix in a day or two, the next game, be great. But I want us to always feel like we got a chance, we got enough in the room to win, no matter what the stakes are.”

What’s the prognosis for Madina and Agot [Makeer] to make the Florida trip?

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“I mean this day to day. I mean, we’re not going to force them to make things worse. I think we’re very conscious. I think we’re super conservative. And I don’t have a say in it. I get a report every day, and the report is that we’re going to continue, but they’re not there yet. They do some things in practice, and they’re not there yet. So we’ll just, you know, adhere to what they’re telling us, and if we get them back, it’s going to help us. If we don’t, we just got to keep moving forward.”

The first nine points of the third quarter were all fast-break points. Was that a focus going into the second half to get out and transition before they could set their zone?

“Well, I would say it was probably a product of our defense and rebounding, like, I mean, we didn’t. We gave up 22 offensive rebounds. So, you know, a lot of times they were just getting their own rebound and making us playable a little bit longer. So I think we’ve got rebounds and we pushed, and we saw people up the floor.”

I guess it was the second game, Ta’Niya Latson got herself going in the second half. How do you kind of channel that to get it throughout the game?

“I don’t know, I mean, she’s getting looks. So, I mean, it is, you know, I think Ta’Niya does best when she gets off to a good start. I thought she got off to a good start because she got a lot of assists as well. Like, and you know, when I look at the stat sheet, and she’s got four assists, no field goals of like. You know, got to give her some touches. So we may try to manufacture some touches to where she’s in a comfort zone. Sometimes she makes it, sometimes she does it, but I don’t want her to get rattled because for someone that can score a lot of points in bunches, you know, as long as a lot of time is left in the game, there’s a lot of opportunity for her to just, you know, create some opportunities for the sport.”

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When you got back from Vegas, you mentioned that free throws were kind of a takeaway that you had. I’m just curious, like, is that as simple as practice and kind of routine? What do you see there?

“I will say we practice every day. Every single day, there is not a day that goes by. It’s becoming a little mental now and we can’t just say, ‘Oh, it’s going to fix this stuff. We got to still do something. You can practice a little bit more over here to help us in this gym. But probably a little mental. I hope it turns to where it’s not even, it’s just routine at this point.”



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