:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/DHV5SVN777XGPTQJVCSXXL4DKU.jpg "Nikki Haley avoided endorsing Donald Trump after withdrawing from the Republican primaries: “He has to earn the votes”")
Nikki Haley Suspends White House Campaign, Calls on Trump to Win Support of Moderates and Independents
Former Republican ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley announced on Wednesday that she is suspending her campaign for the White House. During a televised speech in Charleston, South Carolina, Haley declined to endorse former President Donald Trump but urged him to win the support of moderates and independents who had backed her in the primaries.
Haley, who was competing with Trump for the chance to face President Joe Biden in the November election, only managed to win one state on “Super Tuesday” and never posed a serious obstacle in Trump’s path to the nomination.
The 52-year-old candidate was relatively unknown outside of her native South Carolina before Trump appointed her as ambassador to the United Nations in 2017. She used her high-profile UN post to cultivate an image as a bold conservative in language.
In her speech, Haley expressed gratitude for the support she had received but acknowledged that it was time to suspend her campaign. She emphasized the importance of Americans making their voices heard and stated that she had no regrets.
President Joe Biden praised Haley for being critical of Trump during the campaign and urged her supporters, many of whom are moderates and independents, to consider joining the Democratic side. In contrast, Trump appeared to mock Haley in a post on his social network Truth Social, calling on his supporters to join his movement.
Trump celebrated a victory on Super Tuesday, winning in 14 of the 15 contested states. Haley only won Vermont, signifying a clear victory for Trump as he and Biden head towards a rematch of the 2020 election.
Trump’s focus now is on a rematch with Biden before he has to address his legal problems, with his first criminal trial scheduled to begin on March 25 in New York.
Meanwhile, Biden faces no serious rivals on the Democratic side and is expected to outline his vision for the United States during a speech before Congress on Thursday as part of the traditional “State of the Union” address.
Overall, Haley’s decision to suspend her campaign has shifted the dynamics of the Republican primaries, leaving Trump in a dominant position as he aims to secure the party’s nomination for the White House in 2024.