Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley has officially announced a 2024 run, and is all set to challenge her one-time boss for the Republican nomination.
“I’m Nikki Haley, and I’m running for president,” said the former United Nations ambassador during Trump’s administration.
Nikki Haley’s 2024 bid was widely anticipated, and breaks a promise she made to avoid challenging former president Donald Trump two years ago, citing that the country’s economy was too distressed for her to just stand by and watch. She also said that the country was in need of a new generation of leaders.
“You should know this about me. I don’t put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you’re wearing heels,” Haley said in a video announcing her run.
Haley, who is vying to become the first female president of the United States, is the second Republican to officially launch a 2024 run, while many others including Ron DeSantis, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo and Tim Scott among others.
Former President Donald Trump seems relatively cordial since the news broke, and claimed telling Haley, “Look, you know, go by your heart if you want to run … You should do it.”
This is a stark contrast from the ex-president’s reaction to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis emerging as a rival. In a recent statement, Trump said he would consider it “very disloyal” if DeSantis does decide to step into the ring and challenge him. The former president has already targeted DeSantis with name-calling and unpleasant remarks. For his part, the recently re-elected Florida Governor prefers to deliver results working for the people of Florida, instead of spending his time “smearing other Republicans.”
Although, the Trump-aligned super political action committee Make America Great Again – or MAGA simply put off Haley as “just another career politician.”
If elected, Haley will also become the first US president from an Indian background. Throughout her career, Nikki has experienced racism attributed to her Indian upbringing, which has played a key role in shaping her political and personal outlooks.
Haley is also the youngest person to be elected Governor in the US. She was 38 when elected as Governor of South Carolina.
Nikki Haley has a remarkable ascent throughout her career, rising to the ranks of a prominent face for the GOP since her political debut as South Carolina’s state house of representatives, and has went on to land great opportunities like speaking at the 2012 Republican convention and becoming the GOP’s pick to respond to former Democrat president Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech in 2016.
Shortly after Trump emerged victorious in the 2016 presidential election, Haley was appointed as the US ambassador to the UN; resigning from the post in 2018.
Haley also seems to be quite boastful of her political success, stating, “I’ve never lost an election, and I’m not going to start now.”
Add Comment