OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been hit with some hard truth.
The candidate made an appearance on Fox News for an interview when the host bluntly told her she is going to get destroyed in here home state and questioned why she would stay and allow that to happen.
“Last question, just on that whole point of South Carolina, a new CBS poll out, shows that Donald Trump is 35 points ahead of you. Now he’s increased his lead. And here’s a question I have. We’re just a little more than a week away from South Carolina at the moment. It looks like you’re going to go into that contest and lose badly in your home state, which will forever be a cloud over your political career. Why go through with it?” how John Roberts said to Haley.
“So first of all, that’s what they said before New Hampshire, and I got 43% of the vote. Our polls do not show that that is not what we’re saying, and we’re going to close that gap,” the former United Nations ambassador said.
“More than that, you’re asking me about my political career. That’s the problem with politics. Donald Trump’s worried about his image. Joe Biden’s worried about his image. I’m not worried about mine. I’m worried about the future of America. I’m worried about my kids and what country they grow up in. I’m worried about your kids and what country they grow up in,” she said.
“This isn’t personal. It’s not about me or what happens to me. This is about the fact that if we don’t see how bad this can get, it’s already bad. If we don’t become part of the solution and realize that we can change it, that’s the problem. I will say again, don’t complain about what happens in a general election if you don’t play in this primary because Donald Trump cannot win a general election,” the former governor said.
“He’s already said he’s going to spend more time in court than on the campaign trail. He spent $50 million of campaign contributions towards his personal court cases. The RNC is broke. Republicans will not win if you continue down this path. The reason Donald Trump wants me to get out so badly is because he wants help paying his court fees. That is not the job of the RNC. That’s not the job of taxpayers,” she said.
A growing chorus of influential conservatives are calling on former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley to end what appears to be a hopeless quest for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination and unite around the top candidate by far, former President Donald Trump.
The calls come as Haley has gone 0-4 in the first series of primaries, and she is trailing Trump by a wide margin in her own home state of South Carolina, where she served as governor.
“A group of 12 prominent conservatives, including a former governor, media executives, and a former U.S. attorney general,” are calling on her to quit the race, the Washington Examiner reported, though she is continuing to raise money and has vowed to stay in the race until the end.
“While you have waged a spirited campaign for the 2024 Republican Party nomination, it is clear you cannot win the GOP nomination,” a letter to her reads. “We applaud your efforts, but your candidacy is over.”
The group went on to accuse her of harming the GOP by staying in the race.
The Washington Examiner noted:
The group consists of former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, former Ohio Rep. Bob McEwen, Conservative Action Project Chairman Kenneth Blackwell, Conservative Leadership PAC Chairman Morton Blackwell, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, Counterpoint Institute President Dr. Shea Bradley-Farrell, Tea Party Patriots Chairwoman Jenny Beth Martin, American Lands Council President Myron Ebell, ConservativeHQ.com Chairman Richard Viguerie, presidential historian Craig Shirley, American Spectator Publisher R. Emmett Tyrrell, and former U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese.
The group cited a past example of how a prolonged and pointless candidacy within the GOP caused long-term damage to both the party and the candidate himself.
“In 1964, then-[New York] Governor Nelson Rockefeller stayed in the race against [Arizona] Sen. Barry Goldwater too long, even when it was apparent he had lost the nomination,” it reads. “As a result, Rockefeller ended up hated by the rank and file of the GOP. Do you really want to become the Nelson Rockefeller of the 21st century?”
The group also lashed out at Haley’s criticisms of Trump, which they said would hurt his chances against President Joe Biden in November.
“Please withdraw from the race now, endorse Donald Trump, and another year will beckon,” the letter concludes. “This action by you would be the better part of valor.”
