CHARLESTON, United States, Feb  24, 2024 (AFP) - Donald Trump and Nikki

Haley go head-to-head Saturday in South Carolina's Republican primary, with the
ex-president set to trounce his former charge in her home state as he closes in
on the nomination.
       Haley was a popular governor of the state before becoming Trump's UN
ambassador in 2017, but her old boss is backed by the local party establishment
and nearly two-thirds of voters in opinion polling.
       Since the early nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire in January,
the rhetorical fire has intensified between the two as the primary narrowed
into a two-horse race.
       But seeking to demonstrate that he is looking beyond Haley, Trump has vowed
to show President Joe Biden and the Democrats "that we are coming like a
freight train in November," when the general election will be held.
       In remarks released early to the US media, Trump will say in a speech later
Saturday that "if we can break out of this Biden nightmare, we have it in our
grasp to make America richer, safer, stronger, prouder and more beautiful than
ever before."
       Polls in the southern US state opened at 7:00 am local time (1200 GMT).
       South Carolinians do not have to indicate party allegiance when they
register to vote, and are allowed to have their say in either the Democratic or
the Republican primary.
       Haley -- a more traditional conservative who espouses limited government
and a muscular foreign policy -- will hope for votes from moderates, but the
tactic did little for her as she lost to Trump in each of the first four
nominating contests.
       
       - Economy, migration -
    
       
       Voters interviewed by AFP in South Carolina capital Columbia were
complimentary about both candidates, although one voter felt Haley wasn't ready
for the highest office and another criticized Trump for being divisive.
       "He'll go after people that don't agree with him. Being a Christian, I
don't feel good about that," said financial advisor and Haley voter David
Gilliam, 55.
       Meantime, husband and wife Jeff and Susan Stottler laughingly explained why
they were not voting for the same candidate.
       Jeff, a 61-year-old banker, said Trump will "override everything that Joe
Biden has done to put us in the economic and immigrant mess we're in," while
Susan, who is 60, said her vote for Haley was really meant to encourage Trump
to pick her as his vice president.
       Trump -- who faces four criminal indictments -- is tightening his hold over
the party as he pushes toward a second term in the White House.
       Haley has sought to focus on the "chaos" that she says follows Trump,
predicting that his total outlay on court cases this year could top $100
million.
       "Everything he touches is chaos that leads to a loss," she said Saturday.
"How many more times do Republicans have to lose before they realize that maybe
he's the one that's the problem?"
       
       - Haley refuses to quit -
    
       
       In common with Democrats, Haley has also been hitting Trump over his
outlook on the international stage and oft-voiced admiration for the leaders of
the world's most authoritarian regimes.
       She has blasted Trump's reaction to the death of Russian dissident Alexei
Navalny -- in which he avoided criticism of President Vladimir Putin -- and his
threat to encourage Moscow to attack NATO nations that had not met their
financial obligations.
       But Haley's central argument for months has been that polling shows her
performing better than Trump in hypothetical matchups with Biden.
       She has vowed to compete in the Republican primary through "Super Tuesday"
-- when multiple states vote on March 5 -- regardless of what happens in South
Carolina.
       Reproductive rights are likely to figure prominently in the election, with
Trump avoiding taking a clear position on proposals for a nationwide abortion
ban after appointing three Supreme Court justices who helped gut federal
protections.
       A wrinkle was added when Alabama's supreme court ruled last week that
frozen embryos can be considered children, signaling a new front in the debate
and posing questions for in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics.
       Trump -- keenly aware the Alabama decision risks alienating moderate and
women voters -- voiced support Friday for preserving access to IVF programs,
calling on the state's legislature to "act quickly to find an immediate
solution" to ensure it remained available.