Can Nikki Haley Pull A Kamala Harris In The Republican Party?

WASHINGTON, DC (IANS) – Republican Nikki Haley, a former ambassador of the US government to the UN, is trying to create history and become another Kamala Harris by choosing to make a 2024 presidential run for the White House.

The media has responded variously to her announcement. There is skepticism: she has no chance, whatever, so what is she really running for? Vice president? Yet others say, don’t write off Nikki Haley just yet.

On paper, Haley is a formidable candidate to contend with, given her experience. She brings with her executive experience as the two-term governor of an early primary state, who held a Cabinet-level foreign policy position in the last Republican administration.

Though she is relatively young, she is seasoned enough to be plausible, telegenic and eloquent without the rough edges that doomed many a GOP candidate in the November midterm elections, said the Washington Examiner in a special dispatch analyzing Haley’s chances at the hustings.

Nikki Haley obviously lacks a clear path to the nomination as the race appears likely to unfold with strong candidates such as Florida Governor Ron De Santis; waiting in the shadows, though his popularity is shrinking within the GOP, Donald Trump with a huge campaign war chest at his disposal; and former VP Mike Pence also likely to prove a spoilsport for all. A Quinnipiac poll found that she was the third choice of Republicans nationally – but at 5 percent, with former President Donald Trump taking 42 percent and Gov. Ron De Santis (R-FL) receiving 36 percent.

A January Trafalgar poll showed Haley had a lot of ground to make up even in her home state of South Carolina. She was in fourth place with 12 percent of the vote, behind Trump at 43 percent, DeSantis at 28 percent, and fellow native son Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) at 14 percent.

One thing is clear whether Trump triumphs over Santis or loses, it’s quite likely either of them could choose Nikki Haley as the running mate, just as Kamala Harris was and she could deliver the votes from blacks to Latinos.