Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and US ambassador to the United Nations, plans to launch her bid for the White House in 2024 later this month. People close to the former governor have said she’s aiming to launch her campaign on February 15, but she’ll face some stiff competition in the Republican primaries if she hopes to secure the party’s nomination.
While Haley once enjoyed the support of former president Donald Trump, serving as his ambassador to the UN, a presidential bid would set her up as his political opponent. Could that kind of internal strife make things unnecessarily complicated for the Republican Party?
Haley Plans to Launch White House Bid
Haley served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 before being called up into the Trump Administration. She left the Trump Administration in 2018, however, and retreated from the public eye and has waited to announce her future political ambitions. Many political analysts expected her to challenge Trump with a primary bid in 2020, but she instead waited until the next election cycle to throw her hat in the ring.
Haley spent the intervening five years on the board of Boeing, writing two books and then cycling through various speaking engagements–often for appearance fees nearing $200,000. And while Haley once insisted she wouldn’t run if Trump planned on running, she seems to have reversed her stance on the matter and is gearing up for a brutal primary.
The Future of the Republican Party?
Donald Trump has been the face of the Republican Party since the primary season ramped up in 2015. His image has been polarizing, to say the least. Some analysts believe that his defeat in the 2020 presidential election could have taken the shine off of his once-invincible reputation.
Since Trump didn’t serve a second term as president, he’s eligible to make another run at the White House. However, since he’s no longer the incumbent candidate, he doesn’t have the automatic blessing of his political party. He’ll have to win another round of primary challenges to enjoy the backing of the Republican Party. As such, Haley’s bid for president could set the two up for a battle over the future of the Republican Party.
The 2024 election could prove to be the most important test yet of Trump’s fiery rhetoric against Haley’s more measured approach. Will such a showdown divide Republican voters, or will they fall behind whichever candidate wins the primary challenge? It’s going to be an interesting year either way.
