COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Former South Carolina Governor and United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, showcased her growing momentum in the race to surpass former President Donald Trump as the front-runner of the Republican Party during a recent appearance in her home state. Haley officially filed to appear on the South Carolina Republican presidential primary ballot.
Returning to the Statehouse, the place where her political career began, Haley expressed confidence that she could potentially defeat Trump by the time of the South Carolina primary on February 24th, despite his significant leads both nationally and in early primary states.
In a Des Moines Register poll released on Monday, Haley emerged as a strong contender in Iowa, even tying with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. However, both candidates still lag far behind the former president. As they vie for second place and attempt to consolidate the support of those seeking an alternative to Trump, Haley and DeSantis have intensified their campaigns, targeting each other in advertisements and messaging.
The field of Republican candidates, which initially consisted of roughly a dozen contenders, is gradually shrinking. Former Vice President Mike Pence ended his bid over the weekend due to low polling numbers and insufficient fundraising. Haley anticipates further reductions in the candidate pool following the Iowa caucus and the subsequent New Hampshire primary.
“Then we’ll come to the sweet state of South Carolina, and we’ll finish it,” Haley confidently declared.
With Israel currently deepening its offensive into Gaza, Haley positioned herself as a formidable candidate in the realm of foreign policy. She criticized the Biden administration for easing sanctions on Iran and emphasized the importance of the United States playing a supportive role to Israel. Haley indicated that she would not have pressured the Israeli government to restore internet communications in the Gaza Strip, drawing on her personal experiences visiting the region.
“I have been in those tunnels. I have been on the border of Lebanon. I’ve been on the border of Syria. I’ve seen what happens in Gaza,” Haley stated to her supporters. “When you see it, you truly understand the level of sophistication involved.”
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Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
