Overview and Live Results: South Carolina Republican Primary

By 270toWin Staff

February 24, 2024, 10:48 AM ET

Overview

The South Carolina Republican primary is Saturday. Since 1980, with the exception of 2012, the winner of the Republican primary here has gone on to be the party's nominee. That year, Newt Gingrich finished ahead of Mitt Romney.

This is an open primary. Any registered voter that did not vote in the Democratic primary three weeks ago is eligible to participate.

Nikki Haley was elected twice as governor here, resigning halfway through her second term in January, 2017 to join the Trump Administration as U.N. Ambassador.  Fast forward seven years and she is now Trump's only remaining major challenger for the Republican nomination.

Less prominent candidates Ryan Binkley and David Stuckenberg are also on the ballot, along with three others that have withdrawn from the race.

Trump has run well ahead in the polls, leading 62% to 35% in the final 270toWin Average. An outcome close to this, while still showing significant support for Haley, will leave her with few, if any, delegates.

Live Results

Polls close at 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

Delegates

There are 50 total delegates. 29 are allocated based on the statewide vote, with three delegates awarded on the vote in each of the state's seven congressional districts. In each case, it is winner take all.

Bookmark our aggregate delegate count map to keep track through the primary and caucus season as candidates accumulate delegates toward the 1,215 needed to win the Republican nomination.

A Note on Republican Delegate Allocations

South Carolina is the only state authorized by the national party to have a plurality winner take all allocation prior to March 15.

Other states can back into winner take all with a threshold set at no less than a majority of the vote. Where no candidate meets the criteria, some variation on a proportional allocation is offered, often subject to a minimum threshold. 

Most of the upcoming Super Tuesday states have taken this approach. Some, like California, allocate all delegates based on the statewide vote. Others work like South Carolina, allocating a portion of the delegates based on the vote in each congressional district. 

As a practical matter, with only two major candidates remaining, there will be a majority winner in most of the Super Tuesday states. Barring a shift in the race, it will be difficult for Haley to amass many delegates. In fact, Trump's team believes their candidate will clinch the nomination on March 12.

Upcoming Elections

Bookmark the 2024 Presidential Election Calendar

Starting March 5, some states include the presidential primary alongside the primary for other offices (e.g., Congress, Legislature) 

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