Nikki Haley is facing broadening calls to drop out of the GOP primary even as she publicly signals no intention to do so ahead of South Carolina’s contest next month.
The head of the Republican National Committee (RNC), the Georgia Republican Party and growing numbers of GOP lawmakers are urging her to drop out, arguing she has no realistic path to the nomination against frontrunner former President Trump.
There are incentives for Haley to keep going, but also risks. She’s up to 17 delegates after New Hampshire and has the potential to win more in the coming primaries, which could set her up to be an alternate nominee to Trump as he faces myriad legal battles.
At the same time, Haley could become demonized within the GOP if her campaign ends up angering rank-and-file Republican voters who want the party to unify behind its likely nominee.
Let’s be realistic, Haley is getting nominated because Trump died or because he was barred from the race somehow.
He might try to mount a write in campaign but at that point the entire RNC apparatus will be mustered against him, as many supposed loyalists as he’s stacked the place with, I imagine very few among RNC leadership would actually have the appetite for being seen openly undermining a court order barring him from office under the 14th amendment, or mounting a write in campaign for his ghost.
I disagree. Not because they want him to win, but because they want to run for office themselves, and such brazen disregard for the judicial process would greatly appeal to MAGAts.