After New Hampshire loss, Nikki Haley looks to shore up support in the Virgin Islands

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — Fresh off of a second-place finish during the New Hampshire primary, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley addressed the Republican Party of the Virgin Islands, neglecting to mention her loss to former President Donald Trump.

Trump defeated Haley in the Granite State Tuesday night with 54% of the vote to Haley’s 43%, with 97% of the vote counted. The victory was the second for Trump this month when he garnered 51% of the vote during the Iowa caucuses last week in a three-way race over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (21%) and Haley (19%). DeSantis dropped out ahead of the New Hampshire contest.

After the double defeats, Haley opted to deliver her usual boilerplate campaign speech during the Wednesday morning Zoom meeting, where she repeatedly attacked Trump and President Joe Biden.

“We have to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75,” Haley said, repeating an often-used quip she’s trotted out on the campaign trail. “And I’m not being disrespectful when I say that. Right now, Congress looks like the most privileged nursing home in the country.”

She also repeated the usual quip of the “chaos” that follows Trump and predicted a Biden reelection would lead to a President Kamala Harris, who currently serves as Biden’s vice president.

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The former two-term South Carolina governor’s speech focused on fixing the economy, pushing back against China’s growing global influence, and retaking back the White House from Biden in November.

But Trump’s wins in Iowa and New Hampshire have threatened Haley’s viability as a 2024 presidential candidate. Allies of Trump are ramping up intense pressure on Haley to drop out of the race to clear an easier path for Trump to the GOP nomination.

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who previously said she would stay neutral during the primary, was among the top GOP leaders calling for Haley to step down.

“Looking at the map and the path going forward, and I don’t see it for Nikki Haley,” McDaniel told Fox News late Tuesday night. “I think she’s run a great campaign. But I do think there’s a message that’s coming out from the voters, which is very clear: we need to unite around our eventual nominee, which is going to be Donald Trump.”

In her concession speech in Concord, New Hampshire, Haley declared, “This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go.”

Her campaign then announced a $4 million ad buy Wednesday morning in South Carolina touting Haley’s record as a young conservative governor — in contrast to Trump and Biden — in two separate ads airing statewide.

The Nikki Haley campaign is up on TV in South Carolina markets this a.m. with multiple new spots —

Eric W. voiceover:

“Biden, too old. Trump, too much chaos. A rematch no one wants. There’s a better choice for a better America” pic.twitter.com/wKecDEde62

— Medium Buying (@MediumBuying) January 24, 2024

“Nikki Haley took on the political elites when she ran for governor of South Carolina, and she’s ready to do the same thing again,” said Haley spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas in a statement.

Haley’s supporters told the Washington Examiner they were eager for the campaign to continue on to the Palmetto State.

“She’s going to close the gap even more and surprise even more people,” said Melinda Tourangeau, a 57-year-old Ph.D. student from Milford, New Hampshire, who attended Haley’s watch party Tuesday night. “It doesn’t matter what the polls say. Nope, nope, nope.”

“I think her state’s behind her. I think that she has a huge following. And I think we have a month to change the numbers,” Krista Moore, a 61-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina resident and member of the leadership team of the “Women for Nikki” national coalition, said after Haley’s concession speech.

“She’s not a loser. She’s a winner. And we are going on to South Carolina,” Moore also added triumphantly.

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The Virgin Islands GOP caucuses will be held on Feb. 8, the same day that Nevada is holding its caucuses, of which Trump is the only viable candidate on the ballot. Haley forfeited participating in the Nevada caucuses, choosing to compete in the state’s primary on Feb. 6. The Nevada primary, unlike the caucuses, won’t award delegates to the winner.

“But I’ll promise you this,” Haley countered to the audience attending the Virgin Island GOP Zoom meeting. “If you will join with me in this movement. If you will join with me in this fight to save America. I promise you our best days are yet to come.”

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