Donald Trump WINS South Carolina 2024 Republican Primary: Nikki Haley handed a whopping defeat in her home state

Donald Trump took another step towards a general election rematch with Joe Biden by decimating Nikki Haley in her home state in the South Carolina Republican primary. 

The result was called just seconds after polls closed in an embarrassing night for Haley who has vowed to stay in the race even as her path to the nomination rapidly closes. 

Trump declared his swift victory at his Election Day party held on the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in Columbia, saying with a smirk: 'This was a little sooner than we anticipated.'

Trump's victory builds on the surging momentum he has built coming out of wins in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

Former President Donald Trump took the stage to declare victory in the South Carolina primary in Columbia on Saturday evening

But Trump is shifting his messaging from the primary, telling his voters they need to start focusing on the general election in November.

'Nine months is a long time,' he noted of the timeline before the presidential election later this year. 'I just wish we could do it quicker.'

'You know, in certain countries, you're allowed to call your election date,' he added. 'If I had the right to do it, I'd do it tomorrow. I'd say we're having an election tomorrow.'

The former president doesn't want to lose the momentum he feels he has on the heels of his sweeping wins and multiple indictments that he claims are political persecutions.

'South Carolina – thank you very much. Go home, get rest. We have a lot of work ahead of us,' Trump urged in remarks where he never mentioned his remaining Republican rival.

Haley's loss on Saturday marks the first time a Republican candidate has lost their home state presidential primary election in more than 50 years. The previous was Richard Nixon, who lost California's primary to Ronald Reagan – who was also from California. 

But Haley said during a 'state of the race' speech on Tuesday that she was 'far from' ending her bid despite her underwhelming performance in the primary so far and dismal polling that showed her trailing Trump in national and state elections by large margins.

The former South Carolina governor said she plans to stay in the 2024 Republican primary until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 16 states and a territory hold contests and an astounding 874 delegates are up for grabs in that single day.

Trump spoke for just over 20 minutes – and even after he left the stage, the Associated Press was only reporting 6 percent of the vote counted in South Carolina.

Trump embarrassed Nikki Haley in her home state when the race was called just seconds after polls closed at 7pm

Nikki Haley's loss on Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years a Republican presidential candidate lost their home state in the primary election

Trump acknowledged during his remarks that the crowd at his Election Night party in South Carolina's state capital was 'very opinionated' – even regarding some of the former president's guests of honor.

Upon mention of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the crowd booed despite Trump telling them he is a good person.

Some voters in South Carolina told DailyMail.com on Saturday that Haley has ruined any future career ambitions by running in the 2024 race and insists her career in politics, especially in the Palmetto State, is over. 

'She's ruined herself in politics because no one I know will ever vote for her again after she went up against Trump and has said that vile things that she has said about him,' said Trump supporter Kendal Fiorini, 58.

Trump earned 51 percent in Iowa against Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and a few other long shots. Then in New Hampshire last month, he earned 54.3 percent in a contest essentially between just him and Haley after the remainder of the primary field dropped out – and most put their endorsement behind Trump.

The former president then walked away with 99.1 percent of the vote in the Nevada caucus earlier this month, which Haley did not participate in after opting to file for the state's primary election instead – where she shockingly lost to the ballot option 'none of these candidates.'

Voters line-up to cast their ballots in the south Carolina Republican presidential primary in John's Island, South Carolina on Saturday, February 24

Trump held a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina on Friday where approximately 6,000 supporters came to hear his final appeal before the primary.

He also spoke at the Black Conservative Federation Gala in Columbia later on Friday, before heading to National Harbor, Maryland for CPAC remarks right outside of Washington, D.C. on Saturday morning.

Trump's base in South Carolina was excited to show-up for him on Saturday.

'I voted for Trump because I believe in him,' North Charleston resident Mary Ann Cole, 77, told DailyMail.com.

'I just think they tied his hands and they're doing all this s*** - pardon me - they have thrown so much garbage his way and he's still there, he didn't run away,' Cole added.

The retiree said she would have been open to voting for Haley, but she didn't like how Trump has been treated.

Married retired couple Bob, 88, and Kathy Kean, 76, of Charleston both said Saturday in front of the Hunley Park Elementary School polling place in North Charleston that they were casting votes for Trump.

'I'm voting for Trump because I believe the strongest candidate and can get our country out of this gigantic mess that we're in,' Kathy said.

Her husband said: 'I almost was going to vote for Haley because Trump was putting her husband down. He's deployed. That made me mad about that because he didn't need to do that.'

Bob added, 'We like Trump.'

'Overall, even though he's not politically correct,' Kathy said, finishing her husband's sentence.