Haley's decision to suspend her campaign comes after she beat out 12 other Republican candidates who also wanted to run for president.
Most of those challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, have since endorsed Trump, and some are now hoping for a spot in a future Trump administration.
Republican presidential candidates from left, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Tim Scott participated in the debate.credit: AP
The two-term governor began her bid for the nomination a year ago, moving cautiously for fear of angering Trump's base, but she has spent the past few months portraying him and Biden as too old and mentally unfit for the presidency, and Trump as a mess. Agent has a history of losing general elections.
Haley's departure marks the beginning of an almost certain matchup between the 81-year-old president and his 77-year-old predecessor, despite polls showing that most Americans do not want to endure such a contest.
While both men have yet to secure the requisite number of delegates they need to win the nomination, their near-clean sweeps of the Super Tuesday primary and caucus races mean it's only a matter of time before they officially become their party's presumptive nominee. Interested parties.
According to a campaign strategy memo, Biden will use his State of the Union address on Thursday evening (Friday AEST) to express the “stark choice” voters face between his “historic popular track record” and Trump's “dark” and “dangerous” approach. A vision for the country.
Republican presidential candidate and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley leaves the venue after announcing the suspension of her election campaigncredit: AP
Meanwhile, Trump used his speech Tuesday night to focus on the November 5 election, declaring it would be “the most important day in the history of our country.” He also focused heavily on the central issues of his campaign: immigration, crime, and the “weaponization” of the justice system, against which he was charged with four criminal charges.
But while Trump now controls his party with an iron fist, Haley's performance in the primaries exposed the weaknesses that may plague him in his attempt to return to power.
In early voting states, Haley captured a large percentage of voters who still resist the former president.
This included 43% of voters in New Hampshire, 40% in South Carolina, 27% in Michigan, and 19% in Iowa, while several other candidates, including DeSantis, were still on the list.
Nikki Haley helps her mother, Raj Kaur Randhawa, get to the voting booth on Saturday in Kiawah Island, South Carolina.credit: AP
On Super Tuesday, she also won a large share of Republican primary and independent voters, including in Vermont, where she had earlier won Washington, D.C. But she was unable to secure enough delegates to slow Trump's momentum.
Both Trump and Biden will now appeal to Haley's voters in what is expected to be a very close race, where voter turnout could make a big difference.
I said I wanted Americans to hear their voices. I did it. “I have no regrets,” Haley said in her speech.
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“And even though I won't be a candidate anymore, I won't stop using my voice for the things I believe in.” This includes fiscal responsibility and standing with allies like Ukraine and Taiwan, in a “world on fire,” she said.
Haley's refusal to endorse Trump today also comes after she signed a pledge last year as a condition of participating in the Republican Party debate to support whoever wins the nomination.
However, Trump will not be officially announced as the Republican Party's nominee until the Republican Party convention in June, and some believe she could change her mind and support the president in order to garner more support within the party before the next election, or to shore up more support within the party before the next election. . He is seen as a replacement candidate if Trump is no longer able to run.
Explaining her decision today, Haley said: “I have always been a conservative Republican and have always supported the Republican nominee. But on this question, as on many others, Margaret Thatcher gave some good advice when she said: “Never follow the crowd.” Always make up your mind.”
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