California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley to stay the course, despite Donald Trump coming one step closer to becoming the GOP’s nominee with a 20-percentage-point win over her in Saturday’s South Carolina primary. 

Mr. Newsom made the case that Ms. Haley‘s refusal to throw in the towel can only help Democrats as President Biden gears up for a rematch against Mr. Trump.

“I don’t know why Democrats would want her out of the race. She’s one of our better surrogates,” the Democratic governor said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” which aired Sunday but was taped before Saturday night’s results. 

“She’s defining the opposition of Trump incredibly effectively,” Mr. Newsom said. “She’s making points I’m applauding every single day about his temperament, his capacity, his unraveling in real time.”

Ms. Haley rejected calls from within the Republican Party to drop out in the aftermath of losing her home state to Mr. Trump by 20 points. She’s yet to secure a victory, having finished third in Iowa, second in New Hampshire and losing out to “None of these candidates” in Nevada’s primary.

“When the country’s future is on the line, you don’t drop out,” Ms. Haley told supporters. “You keep fighting. In fact, you fight harder. That’s why I refuse to quit.”

• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.