Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley accused party leaders of lacking impartiality in her campaign against Donald Trump on Sunday. She emphasized that winning the nominating contest in South Carolina was not a necessity for her to remain in the race.
Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, made these comments during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. She expressed her belief that the former president would become increasingly “unhinged” as the Republican presidential nomination campaign unfolded.
Having secured third place in the Iowa caucuses and second place in New Hampshire, Haley and Trump are now competing vigorously in South Carolina, where she once served as governor. While Trump maintains a substantial lead in the polls, Haley asserted that winning her home state was not an absolute requirement for her campaign to continue. The Republican primary in South Carolina is scheduled for February 24.
“I need to demonstrate that I am gaining momentum and that I am stronger in South Carolina than I was in New Hampshire,” she stated. “Does it have to be a win? I don’t believe it necessarily has to be a win, but it definitely has to be an improvement over my performance in New Hampshire, and it must be a close contest.”
Prominent Republicans have thrown their support behind Trump, who has consistently held the front-runner position for the nomination. However, the Republican National Committee (RNC) retreated from a proposal to declare him the presumptive nominee. This proposal was withdrawn last week following Trump’s disapproval of the idea.
In response to a question about whether the RNC had acted as an impartial mediator in the matter, Haley replied in the negative, stating, “Clearly not.” She emphasized the importance of allowing the American people to have a say in determining the party’s nominee, especially given that only two states had conducted their primary elections.
Trump has launched repeated attacks on Haley, and the two have engaged in verbal exchanges about his age recently, particularly after he made some verbal missteps. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel has expressed doubts about Haley’s prospects in the race.
In recent weeks, Haley, the sole remaining challenger to Trump, has intensified her criticism of him. She noted that Trump, who is facing multiple legal challenges, including those related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, would remain preoccupied with his legal battles. However, she clarified that his legal issues were not her primary reason for remaining in the race.
“I have never remained in this race solely because of legal cases,” she affirmed. “He’s feeling insecure and threatened. He is aware of the developments, and he understands that these legal proceedings will divert his attention further away from the campaign trail.”
