In an unprecedented move, Democratic Party officials in South Carolina are calling on their voters to skip Saturday's presidential primary and instead cast their ballots for Republican candidate Nikki Haley in the upcoming GOP nominating contest. The message was made clear by Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison, who emphasized that South Carolina Democrats would not be voting for Haley.

Reports emerged on Saturday morning that some Democrats received text messages urging them to forgo voting in the primary and save their vote for Haley in three weeks' time. However, both the Haley campaign and the SFA Fund, an aligned super PAC, denied any involvement with these text messages.

Nikki Haley, a former two-term South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump, has been gaining support from independent voters and even some crossover Democrats. In the recent Iowa Republican caucuses and New Hampshire GOP primary, Haley managed to secure 43% of the vote, positioning her as the main rival to the commanding front-runner, Trump.

The next major contest in the GOP calendar is South Carolina's Republican primary scheduled for February 24. Recent polls indicate that Trump holds a significant 26-point lead over Haley in the state. It's important to note that while the Republican primary is open to all voters, those who cast a ballot in the Democratic primary are prohibited from voting again in the Republican contest.

For weeks, Democratic Party officials have been highlighting Haley's conservative policies during her tenure as governor, dubbing her the "mother of the MAGA movement." Harrison reaffirmed the Democrats' stance, stating that Haley had not done anything for them and that they would not be bailing her out.

Despite this, Haley and her campaign argue that she would be a stronger GOP nominee than Trump to go head-to-head against President Biden in the general election. The campaign also pointed out that multiple polls consistently show Haley outperforming Biden.

In the Democratic primary, President Biden is expected to secure a significant victory against his two long-shot primary challengers, Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota and Marianne Williamson, the best-selling author and spiritual adviser. Both Phillips and Williamson have failed to campaign extensively in South Carolina, with Phillips absent from the state for a week and Williamson opting for minimal in-person campaigning.

South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Christale Spain expressed disappointment in the lack of presence from the primary challengers, emphasizing that they had been welcome to compete and engage with the state's voters.

President Biden, although not on the ballot in New Hampshire, managed to secure 64% of the vote in the Democratic primary thanks to a well-organized and funded write-in effort. His popularity among Black voters remains strong, and his recent campaign stops in South Carolina, along with Vice President Kamala Harris' rally on the eve of the primary, were aimed at solidifying that support.

The outcome of the South Carolina primary for Biden is expected to be positive, as the president aims to send a signal to Black voters across the nation that their voices matter. Harrison highlighted the importance of Biden's presence in the state, even when victory is anticipated, as a way to affirm the significance of the electorate.

As the race intensifies, voters will now be closely watching how the South Carolina primary and the subsequent GOP contest unfold, with both parties vying for their respective candidates' success.

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