Nikki Haley: the 'new generation' candidate trying to win the Republican nomination

Haley entered the 2024 race on February 14 2023 with a strong electoral résumé, having never lost an election.

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https://theconversation.com/nikki-haley-the-new-generation-candidate-trying-to-win-the-republican-nomination-207367https://theconversation.com/nikki-haley-the-new-generation-candidate-trying-to-win-the-republican-nomination-207367
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Saturday, June 10, 2023
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Summary
Key Points: 
  • Haley entered the 2024 race on February 14 2023 with a strong electoral résumé, having never lost an election.
  • She was elected to the South Carolina legislature in 2004 and ran for governor in 2010, winning narrowly, but coasted to victory in 2014.
  • Her winning record will now be tested by a growing field of candidates, including the clear leader for the Republican nomination: Donald Trump.

Breaking political records

    • At 38, she was the youngest governor of any state in the union at the time.
    • She rose to national prominence in 2015 following a mass shooting at an African-American church in Charleston.
    • In January 2023, Haley explained her rationale for this change of heart, stating:
      I think it’s time for new generational change.

Competency test for over 75s

    • At 51 she is significantly younger than both Donald Trump and president Joe Biden.
    • In remarks to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2023, Haley called for all politicians over the age of 75 to pass a mental competency test.
    • Haley is also behind on national endorsements with only one congressman having offered his public support.
    • Haley has been critical of this position and called for continued military and financial support for Ukraine.

Three challenges

    • As well as low poll numbers and a lack of important political endorsements, Haley faces three further challenges.
    • Also, the rules for deciding allocation of delegates in Republican primaries are determined by individual states.
    • For example, in the 2016 Florida Republican primary Trump won 45.7% of the vote and consequently all of its 99 delegates.
    • At this stage in the race, however, Nikki Haley’s path to the White House remains tricky.
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