After losing every early Republican primary, Nikki Haley admitted the GOP has moved towards Donald Trump’s positions.
Trump dominated the primaries in key states, while Haley’s campaign has struggled.
When asked if the party has shifted away from her, Haley acknowledged it was “very possible.”
NATIONAL POLL
2024 Hypothetical Presidential Matchups
Trump 45%
Biden 44%
11% undecidedTrump 46%
Harris 43%
11% undecidedTrump 46%
Newsom 36%
18% undecidedTrump 45%
Whitmer 33%
22% undecidedhttps://t.co/C3L12vMLMT pic.twitter.com/TYJNABER7B— Emerson College Polling (@EmersonPolling) February 16, 2024
CNN’s Dana Bash asked Haley, ”Isn’t it possible the party has moved, and the party is about Donald Trump and not what you’re describing, which might be the party of yesterday?”
Haley replied, “It is very possible. What I am saying to my Republican Party family is, we are in a ship with a hole in it, and we can either go down with the ship and watch the country go socialist left, or we can see that we need to take the life raft and move in a new direction.”
She claimed, “We’ve only seen a handful of states vote. I’ve said this before as much as the media wants to jump ahead, we’re taking this one state, one day at a time. I’m doing what I believe 70% of Americans want me to do.”
However, she said she will continue campaigning in more states. Separately, a poll showed Trump defeating Biden and other prominent Democrats in potential 2024 matchups.
The poll found Trump leading Biden by a slim margin of 45% to 44%, within the margin of error.
When third party candidates were added, Trump’s lead grew to 40% versus Biden’s 38%.
Further matchups showed Trump defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, California governor Gavin Newsom, and Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.
The authors of the Emerson College poll wrote, “Trump’s slim edge grows by one point when the field widens to include third-party candidates. He leads the pack with 40 percent, followed by Biden at 38 percent and independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. at seven percent. From there, Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent candidate Cornel West tie at one percent, with another thirteen percent undecided.”
The polls come as scrutiny grows over Biden’s age and mental acuity.
