On February 14, 2023, former Governor of South Carolina and United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced her candidacy for President.
On March 6, 2024, Nikki Haley suspended her campaign.
In those 387 days, a lot happened. She saw both highs and lows. Candidates came and went, endorsements were delivered, adverts hit the airwaves and debates were held. Events both foreign and domestic changed the game. Americans talked about inflation, fuel prices, crime, abortion, Israel, Ukraine, immigration and any number of things.
This is the story of the Nikki Haley campaign.
Background
Nikki Haley graduated from Clemson University in South Carolina in 1994 and worked in business before entering the state’s House of Representatives in 2005, having won the election in 2004. In 2010, Haley ran in the South Carolina gubernatorial election. After winning the Republican nomination, Haley won the election, beating Democratic candidate Vincent Sheheen.
Haley served as a generally conservative Republican as governor, and was re-elected in 2014. Issues that she oversaw included abortion, trans individuals in toilets, and immigration.
The event that most defined her governorship was one of tragedy. On the 17th June 2015, a young man named Dylann Roof entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Despite being received with kindness and initially joining the group, Roof opened fire on the congregants of the Bible study. Eight died at the scene, and one died later in hospital, leaving nine deceased overall. A few others either at the scene or in the church survived.
Roof was arrested the next day after a large manhunt. The focus of the country and the media was on both Charleston and South Carolina at large. Famed Civil Rights activists Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton visited. Barack Obama sang ‘Amazing Grace’ at the funeral of South Carolina Senator and the church’s Senior Pastor, Clementa C. Pinckney.
The racially-charged nature of the murders created even more conversation in regards to the Confederate Flag. Since 1961, the flag remained over South Carolina’s State House. Despite efforts to remove it, it remained. Haley initially supported keeping it up there, but after the murders, changed her stance. In the next month, Haley signed a bill that would remove the flag and instead have it donated to the The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum. It is displayed there instead.
In late November 2016, Haley was announced as president-elect Donald Trump’s choice as United States Ambassador to the United States. She was sworn into the role on the 27th January 2017. Haley enjoyed high approval ratings as UN Ambassador. She was in the role during a time of great geopolitical importance. Haley was a strong critic of US foes Iran, North Korea, China and Russia, as well as a defender of Israel.
She was mostly in harmony with the Trump administration, avoiding the problems that others did, but this was not always the case. When a White House staff member said that she’d experienced “momentary confusion” about sanctions, Haley fired back “with all due respect, I don’t get confused.” Haley resigned on the October 8, 2018. She parted the administration on seemingly good terms with Trump, though this would not last.
Following public service, Haley worked for Boeing and created a new SuperPAC called “‘”Stand For America.” She wrote and released a book “With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace.”
The Campaign
After an easy path for Trump’s renomination in 2020, the Republican nomination seemed ripe for the pickings in 2024. Trump himself had filed the paperwork in November 2022. Haley was the second to file.
Numerous other candidates filed, but ones of note included former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
Haley portrayed herself as a conservative, but one with a more moderating influence. She talked about being the daughter of hard-working immigrants. In terms of foreign policy, she was classed as a neocon. Haley spoke forcefully about fighting hard against Iran, Russia and China, and supporting Ukraine and Israel. Haley has been particularly interested in foreign policy, and has pointed to her time as UN Ambassador as proof of her credentials.
During debates, Haley seemed to perform fairly well, though she was not without her detractors. She seemed to draw the most ire from Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy attacked Haley, from calling her “Dick Cheney in three inch heels” to commenting about her daughter Rena’s use of TikTok.
Her campaign was not without issues. A comment regarding the cause of the American Civil War ignited a firestorm.
The Iowa Caucuses were the first of the election season, occurring on the 15th January 2024. Haley came in third, following Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. DeSantis quit the race the following week.
Haley won in both Washington D.C and Vermont on Super Tuesday/5th March, by which time every other major candidate besides Donald Trump had dropped out. Unfortunately for her, she came second in every other state or territory.
After a disappointing Super Tuesday, Nikki Haley signalled the end of her campaign. Here is her speech:
“Just over a year ago, I launched my campaign for president. When I began, I said the campaign was grounded in my love of our country. Just last week, my mother, a first-generation immigrant, got to vote for her daughter for president. Only in America.
I am filled with gratitude for the outpouring of support we’ve received from across our great country. But the time has now come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that. I have no regrets. And although I will no longer be a candidate, I will not stop using my voice for the things I believe in.
Our national debt will eventually crush our economy. A smaller federal government is not only necessary for our freedom; it is necessary for our survival. The road to socialism is the road to ruin for America. Our Congress is dysfunctional and only getting worse. It is filled with followers, not leaders. Term limits for Washington politicians are needed now more than ever. Our world is on fire because of America’s retreat. Standing by our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan is a moral imperative. But it’s also more than that. If we retreat further, there will be more war, not less.
As important, while we stand strong for the cause of freedom, we must bind together as Americans. We must turn away from the darkness of hatred and division. I will continue to promote all those values, as is the right of every American. I sought the honor of being your president; but in our great country, being a private citizen is privilege enough in itself. And that’s a privilege I very much look forward to enjoying. In all likelihood, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee when our party convention meets in July. I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president. Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us.
I have always been a conservative Republican and always supported the Republican nominee. But on this question, as she did on so many others, Margaret Thatcher provided some good advice when she said, “Never just follow the crowd. Always make up your own mind.” It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that. At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing.
I end my campaign with the same words I began it from the Book of Joshua. I direct them to all Americans, but especially to so many of the women and girls out there who put their faith in our campaign. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For God will be with you wherever you go. In this campaign, I have seen our country’s greatness. From the bottom of my heart – thank you America. God bless.”
What’s Next?
Nikki Haley is still very young by political standards, being 52 at the time of writing. She’s a generation younger than candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden, so she had plenty more years in politics.
Could she run in 2028? Well, we don’t know. If Donald Trump wins, then he’ll be ineligible for another term. If Joe Biden wins, then I can imagine Trump wanting to run again- though age might prevent it. The 2028 Republican Party might look very different. Will it be the home of the New Right with figures like Kari Lake and Tucker Carlson? Could we see more moderate Republicans like Mitt Romney and Susan Collins? There are the Christian Right, Libertarians, Centrists, Conservatives, Populists and everything in between.
Perhaps Haley might have a role in a future Trump administration. Despite his harsh words, and her wavering enthusiasm, it’s far from the realm of possibility.
Whether or not Haley goes into public office, or returns to private life, it’s surely the last we’ve heard from the woman from South Carolina.
You can read my coverage of Nikki Haley’s campaign on my Elections Daily page.