Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, made it clear that she has no intention of dropping out of the presidential race, despite trailing behind former President Donald Trump in the polls.
What Happened: Haley, speaking at Clemson University, dismissed suggestions that she should exit the race, attributing these calls to the “political elite” and “party bosses,” reported NBC News.
“Some of you — perhaps a few of you in the media — came here today to see if I'm dropping out of the race. Well, I'm not. Far from it,” Haley said.
She criticized Trump, calling him a “disaster” for the GOP and accused other Republicans of being too afraid to speak out against him. Despite trailing Trump by over 20 points in recent polls, Haley remains resolute, arguing that Trump is not a viable candidate for the general election.
Trump’s campaign team, however, believes he could secure enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination by March 12. They have dismissed Haley as “irrelevant and not newsworthy,” and are already planning for the general election campaign.
Haley, in contrast, is determined to continue her campaign, emphasizing the need for voters to have a real choice in the election. “That's why I refuse to quit,” Haley said.
“South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I'll still be running for president. I'm not going anywhere.”
Why It Matters: Haley has been openly critical of Trump's return to the White House. Earlier this week, she accused Trump of being complicit in Russia’s actions following the death of the opposition leader. She took to social media to express her condemnation of Vladimir Putin's actions and Trump's defense of the Russian leader.
Her criticism of Trump comes in the wake of former National Security Advisor John Bolton‘s warning that the Russian government would likely celebrate if Trump were to be re-elected, viewing him as an "easy mark." Bolton criticized Trump’s relationship with Putin, stating that Putin sees Trump as an easy target. He also dismissed Putin’s recent near-endorsement of President Joe Biden, calling it “disinformation.”
Meanwhile, the former president is embroiled in a series of legal challenges. The cases, which include both federal and state charges, are spread across multiple locations, including New York City, Washington, Atlanta, Florida, and Georgia. The former president has denied any wrongdoings and dubbed the cases a "witch hunt."
Haley has indicated a willingness to pardon Trump if she wins the election. “It’s not a matter of innocence or guilt,” she said. “I believe in the best interest of bringing the country together, I would pardon Donald Trump.”
Photo by Lev Radin on Shutterstock
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