Nikki Haley to drop out of presidential race, back Trump
Nikki Haley is ending her Republican presidential primary campaign after losing 14 Super Tuesday contests to Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported. She will address her supporters in South Carolina at 10:00am (Eastern Time) on Wednesday. Haley—Trump's last significant primary opponent—will reportedly not make any endorsements but will urge the former president to win over Republican and independent voters who supported her. The United States (US) is scheduled to host its presidential election in November this year.
Haley's campaign journey
Although Haley's campaign kicked off with great zeal, it experienced a string of losses, beginning with Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and her home state of South Carolina. On Super Tuesday, she only managed to win Vermont, with her sole previous victory being in Washington DC. Throughout her campaign, Haley maintained a careful balance between criticizing and praising Trump. She aimed to represent the party establishment without alienating its populist base.
Trump's bid for a second term
Haley's withdrawal will allow Trump to secure the Republican nomination for a third consecutive election. The 77-year-old currently faces 91 criminal charges, including inciting the January 2021 Capitol riots and civil court rulings requiring him to pay over $400 million for financial fraud and defamation. Notably, the 22nd Ammendment of American constitution limits the number of times a person can be elected to the office of President to two. It was former President Grover Cleveland who served twice last.
Haley's campaign focussed on electability
Haley served as South Carolina's governor from 2012 to 2017 before becoming the US ambassador to the United Nations. Born to Indian immigrants, she repeatedly won applause for saying, "America is not a racist country." Her campaign also focused on electability, claiming she was the only Republican who could defeat President Joe Biden in a general election. She often told voters, "Republicans have lost the last 7 out of 8 popular votes for president; that's nothing to be proud of."
US needs new generation of leaders: Haley
Haley's campaign also focused on giving the US "a new generation of leaders," as she is only 52 years old while her main opponent, Trump, is 77 years old. She made a splash with a call for "mental competency tests" for politicians over 75. Interestingly, a recent AP-NORC poll found that six in 10 US adults doubt the mental capability of both Trump and his probable Democratic opponent, Biden, for the president's role.
What challenges does Trump face?
According to the data, Trump has not fared well with "college-educated voters." In New Hampshire and South Carolina, APVoteCast found that college graduates favored Haley over him. Data shows that approximately two-thirds of voters in both states who attended graduate school voted for Haley. Ahead of the US presidential polls, one key question is whether Trump can bridge the gap between college graduates and suburban voters.
