Nikki Haley Announces 2024 Presidential Run

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Facts

• Ex-UN Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley officially announced her campaign for the 2024 Republican US presidential nomination on Tuesday, joining former Pres. Donald Trump as the second declared candidate.¹
• This follows her invitations to supporters last week for a 'special announcement' in which she was expected to announce her candidacy at The Shed at the Charleston Visitor Center in downtown Charleston, SC, on Feb. 15.²
• Instead, Haley posted a video announcing her bid, in which she said that 'It’s time for a new generation of leadership.' She also touted her resume as a twice-elected governor and pushed back against the idea 'that America’s founding principles are bad.'³
• Haley’s decision to run is an about-face from her previous position, having said that she would support Trump if he decided to run. The former president wished Haley luck and wrote on his Truth Social platform that she 'has to follow her heart.”¹
• According to South Carolina-based social conservative leader Dave Wilson, Haley has been 'laying the groundwork' for a presidential bid since assuming the UN ambassadorship, which she left in 2018.⁴
• Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, is seen as a long shot to win the GOP nomination, consistently polling behind Trump and potential contender Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday showed that 4% of Republicans currently support her.¹

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Improve the news, ³CNN and ⁴FOX News.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by Townhall. While Nikki Haley has an uphill battle to secure the GOP nomination in 2024, she is an intriguing candidate with unique qualities in the prospective primary field. As a woman of color, she could also represent a diverse face for the party. Being the first female and woman of color as president would look good for the Republican Party.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by Democrats. While some in the GOP will call her a refreshing change from Donald Trump, Nikki Haley has fought for the core tenets of the MAGA movement since before MAGA even existed. She supports abortion bans without exceptions for rape or incest, as well as ending Medicare and giving tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. If she was willing to terminate the rights of thousands of her South Carolinian constituents, it's terrifying to think of what she would do on the national level.