Haley suggests Iowa loss with mysterious message to New Hampshire voters
Former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley Keeps Iowa in Her Sights as She Aims to Win New Hampshire Primary
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s campaign in Iowa has had its ups and downs, and a mysterious comment she made about voters there may have revealed her doubts about her chances of winning the contest.
Haley, who has been gaining ground on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) but still trails him by 2 points and more than 35 points behind front-runner former President Donald Trump, addressed a crowd of New Hampshire voters on Wednesday. She stated that they will have the power to “correct” Iowa’s Republican presidential choice, referring to the state’s primary taking place one week after Iowa’s caucuses.
“You know Iowa starts it. You know that you correct it,” she said during an event in Milford, New Hampshire. The remark was met with applause from attendees. “And then my sweet state of South Carolina brings it home. That’s what we do.”
DeSantis’s campaign wasted no time in seizing on her comment, calling it “unreal.”
“Nikki Haley belittles Iowa caucusgoers — claiming their decisions will need to be corrected by New Hampshire voters,” DeSantis War Room wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Even prominent DeSantis endorser Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) criticized Haley’s statement, asserting, “I trust Iowans to make their own decisions. No ‘corrections’ needed!”
DeSantis communications director Andrew Romeo also joined in, accusing her of “insulting Iowans” ahead of the caucuses.
“While the pressure mounts on Nikki Haley and the Wall Street donors bankrolling her to secure a strong second-place finish in Iowa as predicted by her top surrogate, her closing argument is insulting Iowans by suggesting that their votes will need to be corrected. Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis is making significant strides in Iowa by outworking and outorganizing the competition day in and day out,” he wrote on X.
Haley’s campaign declined to comment on the matter to the Washington Examiner.
The Iowa caucuses are just under two weeks away, scheduled for Jan. 15, and will be closely followed by the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 23.
Iowa and New Hampshire have a mixed track record when it comes to predicting eventual nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the eventual presidents. South Carolina, which historically holds a primary later in the process ahead of Super Tuesday, has a more accurate record of selecting nominees and eventual presidents.
A rivalry has always existed between these two early nominating states, both of which take pride in their roles of vetting presidential candidates and setting the tone for the primaries and caucuses across the country.
During a separate event in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Wednesday, Haley’s recent endorser, Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH), confidently stated that Haley would “shock everyone in Iowa with a strong second.” The DeSantis campaign wasted no time in holding Haley to this expectation, setting her up for disappointment if she fails to perform as well as Sununu promised.
“Having a strong second-place finish was always our goal,” Sununu told the crowd. ”We’ve got that wrapped up, guys. … We’re gonna win.”
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Is Nikki Haley a Republican presidential candidate?
Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced her campaign for the 2024 United States presidential election in a campaign video on February 14, 2023. Haley is the first woman of color to be a major candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. Lewis also commented on Haley’s statement, saying, “It’s clear that Nikki Haley doesn’t have faith in the Iowa voters to choose the right candidate. We believe that the people of Iowa are intelligent and informed enough to make their own decisions without New Hampshire ‘correcting’ them.”
This controversy adds to the challenges Haley’s campaign has been facing in Iowa. Despite actively campaigning and trying to gain support from voters, she has struggled to gain significant traction. Her positioning behind DeSantis and Trump in the polls proves her struggle to gain momentum in the state.
However, Haley’s focus seems to be shifting towards the New Hampshire primary, where she sees an opportunity for a breakthrough. By acknowledging the influence of New Hampshire’s voters to “correct” the decision made in Iowa, she is attempting to position herself as the candidate with broad appeal across different states. New Hampshire, known for its politically engaged electorate, holds the first primary in the nation and has historically been crucial in shaping the presidential race.
It is worth noting that New Hampshire’s political landscape differs from Iowa’s. While Iowa relies on a caucus system, New Hampshire holds a direct primary, allowing for a larger voter turnout and potentially different outcomes. Haley’s comment may be an attempt to appeal to New Hampshire voters who may not align with the Republican candidate chosen in Iowa.
Haley’s focus on New Hampshire is evident, as she spent Wednesday addressing voters in the state. Speaking in Milford, she highlighted the importance of New Hampshire in the presidential race and emphasized the role it plays in bringing the nomination process to her home state of South Carolina.
Despite the backlash from DeSantis and his supporters, Haley’s comment resonated with the audience, as it was met with applause. This indicates that there may be a receptive group of voters in New Hampshire who appreciate her acknowledgment of their role in the primary process.
While Haley continues to trail behind DeSantis and Trump in Iowa, her deliberate focus on New Hampshire suggests that she sees a path to success in the upcoming primary. Winning over New Hampshire voters could propel her campaign forward and provide the momentum needed to compete with the current front-runners.
As the primary season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Haley’s strategy pays off and if she can overcome the challenges she faces in Iowa. The outcome of the New Hampshire primary will undoubtedly shape the direction of her campaign and gauge her overall viability as a contender for the Republican nomination.
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