Nikki Haley avoids endorsing Donald Trump after withdrawing from Republican primaries: “He has to earn votes”

Former Republican Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has suspended her campaign for the White House this Wednesday, Refusal to endorse former President Donald Trump But He asked them to win the support of moderates and independents who supported him in the primaries.

“Now it’s Donald Trump’s turn to win the votes of people in our party and beyond who didn’t support him, and I hope he does.”Haley said in a televised speech in Charleston, South Carolina.

Haley was competing with Trump for a chance to face President Joe Biden in the November election, but He won only one state on “Super Tuesday”. And never posed a serious obstacle to Trump’s nomination.

The 52-year-old candidate was little known outside her native South Carolina before Trump appointed her as ambassador to the United Nations in 2017, and she used the high-profile UN post to cultivate an image. Conservative without mincing words.

She was proud to be the last candidate standing between Trump’s “chaos” and the Republican nomination for the White House in 2024.

“I am filled with gratitude for the support we have received from our great country,” Haley added. “But the time has come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard, and I have. I don’t regret anything“

In a statement following Haley’s announcement, the President Joe Biden praised Nikki Haley For criticizing Trump during the campaign and urged his supporters -many of whom are moderate and independent- To go over to the Democratic side.

“Donald Trump has made it clear that he does not want Nikki Haley’s supporters. “I want to be clear: there is a place for them in my campaign.”said.

In contrast, Trump appeared to mock Haley in a post on his social network Truth Social, while calling on his supporters to “join the greatest movement in our nation’s history.”

The former president said Haley was “beaten” on Super Tuesday, accusing her of seeking support from Democrats and still faltering. “At this point,” he wrote, “I hope you stay in the ‘race’ and fight to the end!”

Haley embodies the moderate wing of the Republican Party and promises to restore “normalcy” to the GOP. But despite that speech, he only accumulated defeat.

Trump was declared the winner in 14 of the 15 contested states on Tuesday. According to US media estimates these are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

Only Vermont deprived the former Republican president of an outright victory and He settled on Haley.

It was an unmistakable “Super Tuesday” for Trump77, and Biden, 81, who are heading for a rematch in the 2020 election, came out immediately to seek the votes of Haley’s electors in November.

From January 15 and despite its legal problems, Trump has won almost all the primaries.

The billionaire wants to focus on a rematch with Joe Biden before focusing on his legal problems. His first criminal trial will begin on March 25 in New York.

On the democratic side, Biden can rest assured. He has no weighty rival.

Two Democrats, Congressman candidacies Dean Phillips and author of self-help books Marianne WilliamsonDespite frequent criticism of voters of the president’s age, or his support for Israel, never really sparked enthusiasm.

As expected, On Tuesday, he won every stateExcept for one region: The American SamoaAn archipelago in the Pacific where he was practically defeated by an unknown trader.

Thursday will be the president’s next big night: He will defend his vision for the United States during a speech to Congress, traditional “State of the Union”.

(With information from AFP and AP)