California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said Friday that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who is seeking to defeat former President Trump in the Republican primary, is one of the party’s best surrogates on the campaign trail. .
“She’s one of our better surrogates,” Newsom said, referring to the Republican South Carolina primary after CNN’s Jake Tapper asked him whether he would choose Haley or Haley. “So I hope she stays. I hope she does well tomorrow – at least well enough.” Trump had a chance to beat President Biden in November.
Newsom, an ardent supporter of Biden, added that she agrees with most of the attacks Haley has made against the former president.
“I think she’s 99 percent spot on,” he said. “So I’m enjoying this primary. And I hope it continues, so I wish her the best.”
“But look, Trump is the candidate,” the governor continued. “We all know that. You know that, right? Everybody out there knows that.”
The former president remains the clear Republican front-runner in the Palmetto State and nationally. Trump leads former South Carolina Gov. Haley 63.8% to 33.1%, according to The Hill/Decision Desk’s polling index.
But Haley is undaunted by the numbers and vows to stay in the race at least until Super Tuesday.
In an interview with Tapper on Thursday night, Haley claimed that if a rematch were to happen, Trump would lose to Biden again in November.
“You can make him win any primary you want. He can’t win the general election,” she said. “The United States is going to have a female president. It’s either going to be me or it’s going to be [Vice President] Harris. ”
This line has become a favorite of Ms. Haley, who also criticizes Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump for their age. Mr. Biden is 81 years old and Mr. Trump is 77.
Asked by Tapper about polls showing Haley would overtake Biden if she were the Republican nominee, the California governor deflected.
“Trump is the candidate. We all know Mr. Trump is the candidate,” he reiterated. “There is no evidence to suggest, no polling, no momentum to suggest she can win any state in the upcoming Republican primary.”
“This is not meant to be disrespectful. I respect former governors far more than I respect former President Donald Trump,” Newsom added. “But like I said, I wish her the best in the context of going out and making the case that we’re making equally against Donald Trump.”
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