Nikki Haley beats Trump in Republican primary in Washington DC

WASHINGTON - Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday defeated former US President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential primary in Washington D.C., marking her first win in the party's nominating contest.

Haley's victory came after Trump's recent sweep of the Republican contests. On Saturday, the former president won Missouri's and Idaho's Republican presidential caucus. Also on Saturday, he was awarded more delegates during a Republican convention in Michigan, following his victory in the northern state's primary on Tuesday.

Trump, who recently also won Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, has cemented his status as the clear front-runner to become the Republican Party's nominee for the 2024 presidential election.

Despite consecutive losses, Haley has said that she would remain in the race at least through Super Tuesday races.

"When the country's future is on the line, you don't drop out. You keep fighting. In fact, you fight harder than ever. That's why I refuse to quit," Haley said in the speech delivered in Greenville, South Carolina on Feb 20.

It's typical for approximately one-third of all delegates to the Republican or Democratic conventions to be distributed on Super Tuesday, the day in the presidential primary cycle when most states vote. This year's Super Tuesday falls on March 5, when some 15 states and one territory will vote.

The US presidential primaries, extending through June, precede the Republican National Convention in July, where the party's presidential nominee is officially selected by delegates, followed by the Democratic National Convention in August.

The 2024 Election Day falls on Nov 5.