Nikki Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination on Wednesday during a press conference. This move effectively clears the path for 45th President Donald Trump to clinch the GOP nomination, marking a significant milestone in what has been dubbed one of the most remarkable political resurgences in history.
Haley, sulking in her failure, is reported not to be endorsing Trump, despite her promise to do so. NBC News reported, “Haley won’t announce an endorsement Wednesday, two people told NBC News. Instead she will encourage Trump, who is close to having the delegates needed to win the GOP nomination, to earn the support of Republicans and independent voters who backed her, one of the sources said.”
Haley affirmed this stance during her speech, refusing to endorse President Trump despite her promise:
During a celebratory event at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump expressed his gratitude, saying, “This has been a day that we’ve been waiting for. I want to thank my family for being here. It’s a great family. I have a great family.” He also reflected on the evening’s success, remarking, “This was an amazing night.”
Haley, having secured a victory only in Vermont during Super Tuesday, chose to stay out of the limelight, foregoing any public statements as Trump celebrated victories in 14 of the 15 primaries held.
Many voters have characterized Haley as the candidate favored by the party’s establishment. A notable CNN exit poll from North Carolina’s Republican electorate revealed that among the 16 percent who showed approval for President Joe Biden, a whopping 83 percent threw their support behind Haley.
Campaign finance records reveal that Haley’s campaign expenditures against Trump, surpassing $114 million, yielded victories only in Vermont and Washington, DC, according to the latest Federal Election Commission data available up to February 2.
An analysis by Open Secrets highlighted that a significant portion of Haley’s campaign funding, over 75 percent, was sourced from major donors. Notably, Haley did not contribute personal funds to her campaign efforts, and it was reported that she received contributions from Democrats, including Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder and a well-known Democratic billionaire donor.
In a statement Tuesday, Haley’s spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas commented, “Today, in state after state, there remains a large block of Republican primary voters who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump. That is not the unity our party needs for success. Addressing those voters’ concerns will make the Republican Party and America better.”
“Today, in state after state, there remains a large block of Republican primary voters who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump. That is not the unity our party needs for success…” What Olivia forgot to mention is all the concerns the vast majority or republicans have about Nikki. If she want’s unity, she needs to help her supporters (few they may be) understand the need to reject the demoncrats and their totalitarian agenda