Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley remains resolute about her White House ambitions, even after a resounding loss in the New Hampshire primary. Speaking before her supporters on Tuesday night, Haley affirmed her commitment to stay in the race and stated she has no intentions of withdrawing.
She said, “I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory tonight. New Hampshire is first in the nation, but it is not the last. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go, and the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina.”
She continued by describing herself as a “fighter” and asserted that she would be a more formidable candidate against President Joe Biden than her rival, Donald Trump.
In his victory speech before an enthusiastic audience, Trump challenged her assertions, saying, “We’ve won almost every single poll in the last three months against crooked Joe Biden, almost, and she doesn’t win those polls.”
Despite polls, Haley maintains confidence in her home state. She said, “In the next two months, millions of voters in over 20 states will have their say. We should honor them and allow them to vote. And guess what? In the next two months, Joe Biden isn’t going to get any younger or any better. We’ll have all the time we need to defeat Joe Biden. When we get to South Carolina, Donald Trump’s going to have a harder time attacking me.”
She continued, “Every time I’ve run for office in South Carolina, I’ve beaten the political establishment. They’re lined up against me again. That’s no surprise. But South Carolina voters don’t want a coronation. They want an election.”
ABC News projects former President Donald Trump wins the high stakes New Hampshire Republican primary. His opponent, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, vows to continue her campaign. @rachelvscott reports. https://t.co/wsbN3W0wi0 pic.twitter.com/m5cVr7xfEw
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) January 24, 2024
The upcoming two contests are scheduled to take place in considerably more favorable conditions for Trump.
He will step into Nevada’s caucuses in early February, where he enjoys a substantial lead among voters, as indicated by polling data. Notably, Haley is not in the running for these contests.
Moving on to South Carolina, which is Haley’s home state and will hold its primary on Feb. 24, Trump currently maintains a commanding lead of approximately 36 points.