CHARLESTON, South Carolina – Prominent Republicans are pressuring former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley to withdraw from the presidential race after her second-place finish in the New Hampshire primary. Party leaders are urging Republicans to unite around a single candidate, with Donald Trump currently leading the Republican primary race after wins in New Hampshire and Iowa. Despite coming closer to Trump in the Granite State than expected, Haley faces an uphill battle in upcoming nominating contests, especially in her home state of South Carolina, where Trump remains popular among voters. Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, expressed doubts about Haley’s ability to secure the party’s nomination.
The call for Haley to drop out quickly gained support from several Republican senators, including John Cornyn, J.D. Vance, and Deb Fischer. Senator Lindsey Graham, from Haley’s home state of South Carolina, also joined the call to unite behind Trump. However, Haley has remained determined to stay in the race and has rejected the idea of becoming a vice-presidential candidate. Despite the mounting pressure, Haley’s campaign officials and surrogates express optimism about the upcoming nominating contests, pointing to the existence of open primaries in South Carolina and Michigan and 11 open or semi-open primaries on Super Tuesday as opportunities for Haley to gain momentum.
While some donors have expressed concerns about Haley’s chances in South Carolina, others continue to support her. Americans for Prosperity’s super PAC, led by conservative billionaire Charles Koch, plans to continue its work for Haley in South Carolina. The group has already reached out to around 300,000 South Carolinians. Donors to the pro-Haley super PAC SFA Fund remain committed to supporting her, despite the expectation that she will be outspent. The contest ahead remains uncertain, and Haley’s next battleground will be her home state of South Carolina.