When Nikki Haley announced her presidential bid almost a year ago, Donald Trump looked politically weaker among Republicans and her native state’s early slot on the GOP nomination calendar seemed like a strength for her.
South Carolina could instead be where her campaign essentially dies, if Haley doesn’t show significant growth in coming weeks. She has set herself a benchmark in the Feb. 24 primary of 43%. That was her vote share in last month’s New Hampshire’s primary, and Haley has said she needs to keep growing her proportion in subsequent contests.
Polls show the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador far below that mark with just over a week before early voting starts Feb. 12. She trails Trump 63% to 32% in an average of the state’s polls. A recent Washington Post-Monmouth University poll showed her home state’s GOP primary voters have started to sour on her as she has become more combative with Trump, with only slightly more now viewing her favorably than unfavorably.
Haley’s best hope for avoiding a South Carolina humiliation is to mobilize a large number of moderate Republicans and independent voters who don’t want to see Trump as the nominee.
Read more at WallStreetjournal.com
What Are Your Thoughts?
