LOS ANGELES.–Former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley, 51, gets close to the end of the line for her presidential campaign approaching March 5, Super Tuesday. Haley should have dropped out after she lost New Hampshire, after finishing third in Iowa but hung in there because on NeverTrump donors egging her on despite her dismal performance in Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan. Haley sees the end of the line, now beginning to speak less harshly about Trump, knowing that he’s, in fact, the presumptive GOP nominee and has been since winning Iowa and New Hampshire in commanding fashion. But Haley stubbornly insisted she’d soldier on, actually hurting her future political ambitions for 2028 if she has any. But once she gets blown out on Super Tuesday it will etch into history her abysmal failure, creating a permanent record for any future political ambitions, including 2028.
Haley has never ruled out that she would serve, if asked, as Trump’s 2024 running mate, despite walking a fine the line, talking about Trump’s age and divisive politics. Haley most likely isn’t under Trump’s consideration for Vice President, largely because she’s going to set a permanent record on Super Tuesday of failure. That decision, whether pushed by Never Trumpers or not, to stay in the race could bite Haley now and in the future. “My approach has always been, as long as we’re competitive,” Haley said. “Super Tuesday we’re going to try to be competitive. I hope we go forward. But this is all about how competitive we can be,” admitting that she’s come to the end of the line. Haley knows she’s not competitive losing to Trump by big margins in all the primaries where she’s been on the ballot. So when Haley talks of being competitive, it’s clear she hasn’t been since Day One.
When asked whether she would consider running on a No Labels ticket with a Democrat vice president, Haley demurred. “I haven’t talked to anybody about that. I know that they have set like smoke signals that they want to talk about that. But I’m a Republican,” Haley said, signaling that the No Labels ticket isn’t on her radar. Haley knows that only Trump has run a competitive GOP race with all the Never Trump misleading her that their movement has any real legs. “If I were to do No Labels that would require a Democrat vice president. I can’t do what I want to do as a president with a Democrat vice president,” Haley admitted, ruling out a No Labels ticket run. Haley gets egged on by the naïve and highly contentions press, looking for any way out from Trump. Haley has not told the press that Trump looks like he’s sewn up the GOP nomination in grand style.
Haley’s refusal to accept reality that she a zombie candidate without any chance of succeeding makes her look bad as a candidate. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis could have stayed in and played games before Super Tuesday but chose the more intelligent route to suspend their campaigns. Haley should have done the same but now faces the humiliation of getting blown out with an additional 15 states March 5. “I don’t know that I’m ending my bid for president. If you’re in a race, the last thing you think about is not being in the race,” Haley said, showing that she’s not only a sore loser but highly unrealistic, unable to face reality. Future GOP voters will remember the way Haley bombed out of the race by letting another 15 states slap her in the face. Haley created her own problems by overstaying her welcome all because she’s the Never Trump candidate.
When you compare Haley’s campaign to Trump’s, it a true amateur hour, watching someone without a prayer of winning continue to soldier on as if it makes any difference. “The focus now, again, I’m just going to keep saying, it’s Super Tuesday . . . I know y’all love to think about that. That is not something I’m thinking about,” admitting, she’s deliberately not facing reality be keeping her campaign going. Haley rejected the idea that she’s running, like Christie, an anti-Trump campaign, insisting she wanted to give GOP voters an option but doesn’t represent Never Trumpers. Haley knows that she raised $12 million in February largely from anti-Trump donors, so it’s implausible that she’s not representing the Never Trump mob. Haley’s trying to keep a glimmer of hope that Trump would consider her at some point has his running mate, something highly doubtful.
Trump’s campaign team knows by the time Haley drops out she will have been completely humiliated, setting a permanent record of failure. “In all the narrative, everybody pretty much assumers that this is an anti-Trump movement. And it’s actually not. This is a movement where people want to be heard,” said Haley, knowing that her big donor cash comes directly from Never Trumpers, like Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Ut.), former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and conservatives William Kristol and George Will. Haley only wants to keep a glimmer of hope after she’s humiliated on Super Tuesday. Haley didn’t wage a good fight, it was a fake campaign from the get-go with very little following. She continued after third place finish in Iowa, not because she was a viable candidate but because she was the only one left for the Never Trump mob.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
