The two Republicans have had enough of each other. But only one will be victorious in securing the party’s nomination for president.
And Nikki Haley made an unhinged statement that has Trump furious.
Former President Donald Trump has been victorious in every one of the Republican caucuses and primaries that have taken place so far.
He’s easily beaten fellow GOP candidate Nikki Haley while securing these wins.
But Haley still thinks there’s a path forward to victory over Trump.
While speaking with host Jake Tapper on CNN’s “The Lead” on Monday, Haley was adamant that she will indeed defeat the former president.
“So obviously you’re running in South Carolina and you’ve told me that you plan to be around well obviously you want to be the nominee and then the president, but, but you’re going to be around at least until Super Tuesday,” Tapper said to Haley.
“If the unthinkable happens in your view and you do not win will it be difficult to support Trump as the Republican Party’s nominee, given what you think about him quite obviously.”
“Well, first, I think that you need to know that I am going to beat President Trump. But you should ask him if it’ll be difficult for him to support me,” Haley answered.
“He didn’t sign the GOP pledge in 2016. I don’t think and he certainly not signing it now. So I am I’m sure he would say no. But I guess you’re not going to commit to voting for him if he becomes the nominee?” Tapper said while continuing to press Haley on the topic.
“What I’m saying is what I said from the very beginning when there were 14 candidates on the stage, that any one of the 14 would be better than Joe Biden.”
Haley’s non-answer is due to her thinking she still has a legitimate shot at winning the Republican nomination this year.
But polls suggest otherwise.
According to a recent CBS News/YouGov poll among likely Republican voters, Trump leads Nikki Haley in her home state of South Carolina – where she once served as governor – by 25%.
And according to a FiveThirtyEight national average, Trump has a commanding 75.8% to 17.6% lead over Haley in the GOP primary.
Sure, it’s admirable to continue fighting hard for a victory, but that victory looks highly unlikely at this point.
Instead of gracefully dropping out and unifying behind Trump as he seeks to defeat President Joe Biden this November, Haley is dividing the party more and more the longer she stays in the race.
An embarrassing defeat in South Carolina might have her rethinking her decision to continue on.
But we’ll have to wait to see how she officially does when the Palmetto State votes on February 24.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
