Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations and governor of South Carolina, has vowed to stay in the race for the GOP nomination despite trailing in the polls and facing calls to drop out.
Haley, the last Republican challenger to Donald Trump, emphasized her commitment to staying in the race and campaigning until the last person votes.
Despite her home state being up for a primary on Saturday, where Trump leads in the polls, Haley expressed determination to continue, stating that dropping out would be the easy route. She criticized Trump, claiming he has become more unstable and unhinged, and accused him of bullying her and her supporters.
Haley’s polling numbers in South Carolina indicate a significant lead for Trump, with 65% of likely GOP primary voters supporting Trump and Haley trailing at 30%, according to a recent CBS News poll.
Despite the odds, Haley argued that Trump’s high-profile endorsements are driven by fear among fellow Republicans, claiming they privately dread him but are afraid to say it out loud.
She expressed no fear of Trump’s retribution and criticized his focus on past grievances rather than delivering a future for Americans.
Trump’s campaign sent a memo predicting the end is near for Nikki Haley, characterizing her as a “wailing loser hell-bent on an alternative reality.”
Haley, in turn, criticized Trump’s behavior, stating that he spends more time in courtrooms than on the campaign trail, refuses to debate, and is becoming meaner and more offensive.
Before her speech, Trump mocked the absence of Haley’s husband, who is deployed with the South Carolina Army National Guard, during his own campaign event. Haley became emotional when discussing her husband during her speech.
