SC Haley backers doubt she can win home state — but want her to stay in race in case Trump gets ‘locked up’ 

BEAUFORT, South Carolina — Supporters of former Palmetto State Gov. Nikki Haley can read the polls.

They know Donald Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations is likely to lose yet again by a wide margin to her former boss in Saturday’s home state primary — but they want her to stay in the race anyway, if only to be on standby in case the 77-year-old Trump has a health issue or gets “locked up.”

Nearly every would-be Haley voter who spoke to The Post this week approved of her six-year record as South Carolina governor and hoped she can pull off an upset victory, but recognized the chances of that happening are slim to none.

“My confidence of that is zero,” Gordon Gibson, a 77-year-old Haley donor, told The Post after Haley vowed Tuesday afternoon to continue in the race regardless of Saturday’s outcome.

The 45th president “has that hardcore backing that’s a minority of the total vote,” he added. “I just don’t think there’s any way [she can win], and I hate that. Unless he gets locked up, [but] I’m not really impressed with these legal cases that have been brought against him.”

Gibson added that he will likely continue to fund Haley’s campaign, saying her presence in the race spreads a message “that is reminiscent of Ronald Reagan — of a good, well-meaning, loving America.”

Wayne Aguren, an 83-year-old Haley supporter who attended her Tuesday speech in Greenville, echoed the campaign by telling The Post he’s already looking “beyond South Carolina” to the March 5 Super Tuesday contests.

Winning South Carolina “is a long shot. So I think it’s very important to look beyond South Carolina,” he said. “There’s a whole lot of states left, so that could make a big difference.”

David Hopstetter, 78, added that Haley should fight on as insurance against the unknown.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen between now and November anyway, with Trump or with anybody else,” he said.

“I think she’ll do OK [in South Carolina]. I hope it’s enough that she’ll be able to continue her campaign.”

“I think it’s very possible [for Haley to get the nomination],” said 74-year-old Gary Smith. “The way it is right now — with all the chaos and the court trials and investigations.”

Two female Haley supporters at the Greenville event, who chose to remain anonymous in order to speak candidly, expressed more pessimism.

“I don’t know that we’re going to win it, but I do hope that she comes close. For her to win the election … I really don’t know,” one said.

“I think she’s holding out for one of the cases against [Trump] to keep him from running for president, and she’s going to be the one that steps in. I think with just the two of them, she’s kind of hedging her bets that anything could happen. It could be health-wise, because he’s older just like Biden is. Anything could happen between now and then, and she would be the natural one to step in if something were to happen to Trump,” the second supporter added.

A third Haley supporter bluntly said Trump “may die” before November, leaving the door open to a free-for-all in the Republican ranks.

At a Beaufort rally Wednesday night, voters were similarly split on Haley’s prospects.

James Morgan said the candidate needs “enough Republicans” to realize Trump can’t defeat President Biden in November.

“Anything good takes time and is hard work. But … if Trump wins two-thirds of South Carolina, and an extremely enthusiastic two-thirds, that doesn’t win you the general election. It’s irrelevant,” he said.

Scott Hammond, another supporter, argued Haley should be looking at other pathways to the general election due to Trump’s “shocking” levels of support.

“My hope is that she would run as an independent. I think it’s going to be difficult for her to beat Trump in the primary for a variety of reasons,” Hammond said.

Haley addressed concerns Wednesday that she was trying to position herself as an “insurance policy” for the GOP.

“What I see myself as, is making sure that we as Republicans do everything we can to win,” she told Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom.” “Look, he’s already had three verdicts against him now, over half a billion dollars he’s going to have to pay. All he talks about is these court cases, he’s not talking about the American people. And it’s a problem.”