Thirteen months after launching her 2024 Republican presidential campaign in Charleston, South Carolina, Nikki Haley has ended her bid for the White House, two sources confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The former two-term South Carolina governor who later served as U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump is scheduled to announce Wednesday morning that he is ceasing his bid for the Republican nomination, but immediately announced his support for Trump. It is not expected that it will.
Haley is scheduled to speak from Charleston on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET.
Last summer, Ms. Haley was Mr. Trump’s last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, outscoring more than a dozen candidates. For months, Trump has been the overwhelming front-runner in the Republican race for a third consecutive White House bid.
Haley made numerous trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, two key states on the Republican presidential nomination calendar, in 2021 and 2022, but officially launched her 2024 campaign last February.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks to supporters during a speech in Charleston, South Carolina, Wednesday, February 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Mike Smith)
Ms. Haley had been in single digits in the polls for most of last year and faced an uphill battle to win the nomination. But thanks to her well-received performances in the first three Republican primary debates in late summer and fall, Ms. Haley gained momentum and her poll numbers soared.
That surge accelerated in December, as the latest Iowa polls and national polls showed Ms. Haley overtaking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and placing her in second place behind Mr. Trump.
And thanks to a key endorsement from Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, Ms. Haley has moved into second place in New Hampshire, closing the gap with Mr. Trump.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley (second from left), former ambassador to the United Nations and former governor of South Carolina, and New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (second from right) at the New Hampshire Primary on January 23, 2024. Visit the polling station on the day of the election. , located in Hampton, New Hampshire. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
Trump won the Iowa caucuses on January 15th by a 30-point margin over DeSantis, and Haley came in third, just behind the Florida governor.
DeSantis, who had been in single digits with a wide margin in third place in New Hampshire polls, withdrew from the race two days before the primary, and the race for the Republican nomination became a two-candidate race between Haley and Trump. .
Thanks to strong support from independent voters, Haley won 43% of the vote in New Hampshire, finishing 11 points behind Trump.
After Trump won landslide victories in the Republican caucuses in Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands in early February, the campaign shifted to Haley’s home state of South Carolina.
Although Haley campaigned relentlessly in her home state and Trump made only a handful of stops, the former president won the support of South Carolina’s governor, both senators, and numerous state legislators and officials.
Former President Donald Trump (center) speaks at the Election Night Watch Party at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds on Saturday, February 24, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
But Haley remained defiant as Republicans called for her to withdraw from the race.
“I refuse to quit. South Carolina votes on Saturday. But on Sunday, I’m still going to run for president. I’m not going anywhere,” Haley said in her home state. He emphasized this in a major speech just days before the primary election. .
“I am not afraid of President Trump’s retaliation,” he said.
“I’ll take care of the bruises. I’ll take care of the cuts. This is going to be tough, and I’ll take care of the injuries,” Haley told supporters while campaigning just days before the South Carolina primary. I don’t believe anything good will come of it.” it’s simple. Sometimes you have to feel the pain in order to appreciate your blessings. ”
Haley also spoke out against Trump, from her legal entanglements with Trump to her controversial comments about NATO and the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, to her mocking of her husband, who is overseas on a military expedition. Increased amount of verbal attacks. Of obligation.
And she continues to shine a spotlight on the abuses of both President Trump, 77, and President Biden, 81, repeatedly questioning their mental and physical endurance and calling it a time when a new generation will take the helm of the country. claimed to have arrived.
Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a primary election night rally at Charleston Place on February 24, 2024 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Trump ended up beating Haley by 20 points in South Carolina, followed by an even bigger victory in Michigan’s Republican presidential primary three days later.
However, Haley continued her campaign, campaigning in 15 states across the country where Super Tuesday Republican nomination contests will be held on March 5th.
Mr. Trump entered Super Tuesday with plenty of momentum after sweeping the Michigan Republican convention and scoring big wins in the Missouri, Idaho and North Dakota caucuses.
“We’re rocketing toward winning the Republican nomination,” President Trump said at a rally in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday night, touting his victories at the ballot box in Michigan, Missouri and Idaho. ” was advertised.
But Haley repeatedly emphasized that she would remain in the race for the Republican nomination at least through Super Tuesday despite facing extremely long odds, and on Sunday she won her first 2024 race.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks during the District of Columbia Republican presidential primary rally at the Madison Hotel on Friday, March 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Haley beat Trump by about 30 points in last weekend’s Republican primary in Washington, D.C. She won 19 delegates and made history as the first woman to win a Republican presidential primary or caucus.
Haley, who had strong support from independents in the Republican primary and continued to struggle with fundraising, is staying in the race as an option for voters dissatisfied with the possibility of a rematch between Biden and Trump. Stated.
However, Haley did not hold any public events or election night rallies on Super Tuesday night and remained mum about her future plans.
“We’re going to continue as long as we’re competitive,” Haley reiterated in an interview with Fox News’ Bill Melgin on Saturday, but she didn’t specifically define what competitive meant. .
