Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via AFP
Nikki Haley is campaigning on February 21 in South Carolina, a state she led for many years.
United States – “I refuse to quit. » While she has statistically (almost) no chance of winning the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election against Donald Trump, Nikki Haley reaffirmed her intention to stay in the race during a meeting in front of her supporters earlier in the week.
This obstinacy raises questions. Polls for this Saturday, February 24, South Carolina primary put her well behind her rival. The former governor of the state between 2011 and 2017 intended to rely on his record to make up the difference, but he is more than 30 points behind the billionaire. According to a poll conducted from 15 to 18 February and published by , she received only 35% voting intentions compared to 63% for her opponent. USA Today.
Five Thirty Eight, Survey Aggregator
Donald Trump has largely dominated South Carolina’s 2024 Republican presidential primary over Nikki Haley.
This dynamic reflects the previous primary. With the wind in her sails at the start of the year, the results in Iowa and New Hampshire were not as good as expected and she put herself behind the former president who dreams of returning to the White House. Even more embarrassing: She participated in the Nevada primary in early February where Trump was absent (he was running in a parallel caucus due to an election anomaly) and reached… behind the mention “None of these candidates”.
Despite this flop and even if South Carolina risks knocking it off a little more, Nikki Haley doesn’t plan on stopping. The candidate, who has positioned himself as a moderate Republican against incumbent Donald Trump, says he wants to continue at least until Super Tuesday on March 5, the date when most states will vote together in primaries.
Donald Trump’s Legal Troubles
Ten days after South Carolina, 20 other states will vote. We are not in Russia! We don’t want someone to be there and get 99% of the vote. Why so impatient? Why is everyone freaking out to see me out of the race? »She justified the Associated Press Agency.
Actually, there are many reasons for Nikki Haley’s confusion. First, she hopes to be a spare tire in the event of the impeachment of Donald Trump, in several cases prosecuted. An appeal is currently being considered to determine whether he can contest the election. Even if he is not prevented, the heavy sentence may change the minds of some voters who may fall back on Nikki Haley. This is what the latter hope, who continue to insist on the fact that Donald Trump spends more time defending himself in court than on the ground campaigning.
The real estate mogul’s legal problems aren’t the only reason for his persistence. An essential point for propaganda, especially in the United States, is to have plenty of money. And she has it, because she is surrounded by a whole battery of donors ready to support her, including the famous billionaire Charles Koch. How long it lasts remains to be seen given its election results.
Nikki Haley thinks about the future
There are at least two other explanations, one of which is his age. At 52, she still has her entire political career ahead of her and many other chances to run for president in 2028 or beyond. Even if she were to declare herself a candidate again in 2040, she would be younger than Donald Trump was when he was first elected in 2016 at age 70, as indicated. Politico. 2024 will primarily work to leave its mark for as long as possible.
Finally, if Donald Trump is chosen as the Republican nominee, perhaps Nikki Haley is counting on his defeat in November and telling her voters: “I told you so”. If she reiterates that her primary opponent is Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, this change would put her in an excellent dynamic position to reshape the Republican Party currently under the control of Donald Trump.
Nikki Haley and her campaign team are refusing to reveal their strategy after Super Tuesday at this stage. It must be said that according to calculations, Donald Trump should secure his nomination by mid-March, winning enough states and therefore delegates who will vote in his favor at the party convention this summer. It will then be impossible for the former UN ambassador to continue to defend his candidacy. Maybe he’ll consider running as an independent with the No Labels initiative, seeking an alternative to the Trump-Biden duel? She refuses to answer at this stage.
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