Earlier on Saturday afternoon, the former President Donald Trump addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and told the crowd he believed he was heading for a win in the South Carolina primary that evening.

“I am supposed to be there, and I’m not there,” Trump told the crowd. “If I do poorly, I’m blaming everybody in this audience. But I think we’re going to do okay.”

Polls closed at 7 p.m. in South Carolina. The AP called the race for the former president the minute polls closed, based on AP surveys of Republican primary voters in South Carolina showed all signs of a rout. Signs of disbelief were evinced across the mainstream media.

By 8:30, Trump was leading Nikki Haley in her home state by more than 20 points, the former president capturing 60 percent of the vote share to Haley’s 40. The polls had the former president winning by an average of 23 points and capturing approximately 60 percent of the vote.

In remarks to her supporters, Haley vowed to stay in the race, reiterating her belief that she is the woman to beat Biden in November.

Nevertheless, South Carolina was the last best chance for Haley to mount a serious challenge to president Donald Trump. It’s another double-digit loss for Haley after losing to Trump by 30 points in Iowa, double digits in New Hampshire, and a two-to-one margin to “none of these candidates” in the zero-delegate Nevada primary, where Trump wasn’t on the ballot.

For his part, the former president said Saturday was “an even bigger evening than we anticipated.”

“I have never seen the Republican Party so unified,” he declared.

This piece has been updated with new information.