Nikki Haley remains undeterred despite not performing as well as former President Trump in the Republican primary races. She believes her campaign for the presidential nomination is actually strengthening the Republican Party.
“Telling the truth in a primary is very important, so that’s what I’m doing,” she said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week.
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Having begun her role as the United Nations ambassador in 2017 under Trump’s administration, Haley is not concerned about losing support from Trump’s followers, even though she has raised questions about Trump’s age and his capability to serve another term.
“I’m strengthening the party because I bring more people into the Republican Party, instead of pushing people away like Trump,” Haley, 52, told the Journal.
On the other hand, Trump, who is 77, has criticized Haley’s campaign, suggesting it is misguided and detrimental to the party. He expressed his concerns to reporters in Florida
“It’s bad for the party. I think it’s actually bad for her, too,” Trump told reporters Thursday in Florida.
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Current polling data from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ, which aggregates polls from across the nation, shows Trump holding a significant lead. In the upcoming South Carolina primary on February 24, Trump leads by 32 percentage points, based on an analysis of 37 polls. He also maintains a strong lead in Michigan. Haley remains the last major candidate challenging Trump for the GOP nomination, following the withdrawal of other contenders like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.