Nikki Haley’s Undead Presidential Campaign: A Warning Sign for Republicans
Nikki Haley’s Undead Presidential Campaign: A Warning Sign for Republicans
Despite officially dropping out of the presidential race over two months ago, Nikki Haley’s campaign seems to have a life of its own. Last week, she garnered over 20 per cent of the vote in Indiana’s presidential primary, even without actively campaigning. Additionally, she has scheduled events with top donors this week and there have been efforts behind the scenes to get Donald Trump to consider her as his vice-presidential nominee.
Trump has now definitively announced that Haley is not under consideration, but her continued presence in the primaries highlights deeper structural challenges facing Republicans. Throughout much of the primary, Haley targeted Trump’s rivals, particularly Ron DeSantis, but later pivoted to anti-Trumpism in an attempt to rally Trump-skeptical suburbanites and the national press corps.
Haley’s policy message, which focused on entitlement reform, legal immigration expansion, and foreign-policy interventionism, set her apart from the populist GOP. While both Trump and Haley have incentives to mend fences, with Trump eyeing victory in November and Haley looking to remain active in Republican politics, the road to reconciliation may be rocky.
As a potential VP pick, Haley faces long odds due to Trump’s insistence on loyalty and her recent criticisms. Her past comments on entitlements could also become a target for Democratic attacks in the general election. However, some of Haley’s allies may see a role for her in a second Trump administration, particularly in foreign policy.
Republicans, still reeling from the 2022 midterms, view Haley’s continued performance in the primaries as a warning sign. With the party needing to court suburban voters and patch up internal divisions, Haley’s undead campaign serves as a reminder of the challenges they face heading into the general election.
