Nikki Haley has ruled out being Donald Trump’s running mate, stating emphatically in an interview that the idea is “done.”
When questioned by a Fox News host, she insisted she has said for months it won’t happen.
Bret Baier asked, “Where can you paint a picture on Super Tuesday where you can get a victory?”
Nikki Haley said, “We’re going to see what happens. But look, the problem when people say, ‘Why is she doing this? Why is she doing that?’ At first, they were like, ‘She’s doing this because she wants to be vice president.’ I think we’ve pretty much settled that. Then they’re saying—”
Baier asked, “Have we settled it?”
Haley said, “There is no political motivation. If there was political motivation, I would have gotten out of this a long time ago.”
“By the way, have we settled the vice president thing?” asked Baier.
Haley said, “Of course, we’ve settled it! I mean, there is in no way.”
Baier asked, “So, it’s done?”
“I’ve said it for months, it’s done. Also, looking at a political future—I wouldn’t be doing this if I was worried about a political future. I would’ve gotten out already. I’m doing this trying to wake up our country,” said Haley.
Haley also dismissed the idea of running on a “unity ticket” with a Democratic candidate.
Baier said, “Dean Phillips, who’s obviously running on the Democratic primary – not too much success – but saying that he would be your running mate if you so chose that. Would you?”
“I’m a Republican,” said Haley.
She added, “I’m running as a Republican. I’m trying to wake people up to the fact that if they nominate Donald Trump in this primary, we will lose a general election. Mark my words.”
After losing Michigan’s primary, Trump criticized Haley on his social media platform, saying people don’t like her and she can’t beat Biden.
Trump said, “Haley got trounced last night, losing the Great State of Michigan by over 42 Points. Looking forward to Super Tuesday where she is doing even worse, if that’s possible. I’m leading every State by over 60 Points! People don’t like her, and they know, as per the polls, that she can’t beat Biden, or any Democrat.”
Haley finally acknowledged it’s “very possible” the GOP has moved away from her positions and now stands with Trump rather than her vision.
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 said, “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.”
Haley added, “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.”
Haley maintains she will continue campaigning, traversing states over the next week in an effort to stay in the contest despite poor primary showings.