Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley hinted she could seek a bid for the presidency in 2024 during a speech at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting, potentially setting up a challenge with former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
Haley, also a former U.S. Ambassador in the Trump administration, has been considered a potential presidential candidate for years and became an outspoken critic of Trump after leaving his administration.
"A lot people have asked if I'm going to run for president now that the midterms are over. I'll look at it in a serious way and I'll have more to say soon," she told the audience in Las Vegas.
Haley said if she chose to run, then she would do everything she could to win, Fox TV reported. "If my family and I decide to continue our life of service, we will put 1,000% into it and we'll finish it. For now, I'll say this. I've won a tough primaries and tough general elections. I've been the underdog every single time," she said. Haley added: "When people underestimate me, it's always fun. But I've never lost an election. And I'm not going to start now."
DeSantis: We won the highest share of the Jewish vote in Florida
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another potential presidential candidate for 2024, also spoke at the event. "Thanks to your support, the state of Florida delivered a true Republican landslide," DeSantis opened his remarks. We added four new Republican congressmen to the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Florida. We secured super majorities in the Florida legislature, the most Republicans we have ever had in Florida history."
He added: "And because of the support of so many of you to our campaign, we delivered the greatest gubernatorial victory in the history of the state of Florida. We dominated with independent voters."
The Republican hopeful also spoke to his own influence over his party, calling his victory among rural voters "gravity defying."
"We won by double digits. Miami Dade County, We won for the first time in almost 40 years. Palm Beach County. And we don't know precisely what the final number is, but We can say that we won the highest share of the Jewish vote for any Republican candidate in Florida history," DeSantis said.
Trump could face competition in SC
Later at the event Saturday evening, Republican Jewish Coalition Executive Director Matt Brooks predicted one of the two Republicans would win the White House, over Donald Trump, in 2024.
"I don't usually make political predictions, but I want to make one tonight. And this prediction you can take to the bank. Yesterday and today you saw the next president of the United States, one of the people who spoke to us today will be in the White House in 2024," Brooks said in his closing remarks.
Trump is the only Republican candidate currently in the race as he officially announced his bid at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida on Nov. 15, 2022.
Half of the registered Republican voters in South Carolina think that former SC Gov. Nikki Haley should run for president in 2024
In South Carolina, which has so far been a major stronghold for the former president, a Nov. 2022 poll by Winthrop Univesity showed that Trump could possibly face some competition in the state for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Even as she hasn't formally announced a run, half of the registered Republican voters in SC think that former SC Gov. Nikki Haley should run for president in 2024, the latest poll said.
Pollsters asked respondents who they would support if both Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump ran for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2024.
SC Republican voters, about 45% of the ones polled, favored Trump. However, about 37% picked Haley - an eight percentage point difference that is the first indication of Haley's regional influence.
Nikki Haley is still a very popular figure in Republican circles (consultant Chip Felkel)
The margin of error in the statistical analysis of the responses was around 5%, which means that Haley and Trump are very close in competition, said Winthrop Poll Director Scott Huffmon.
"She's still a very popular figure in Republican circles. She was the governor of the state, she left the Trump administration without too many scars and scrapes and she's considered to be by many at least one of the rising figures," said longtime South Carolina based political consultant Chip Felkel.
"Haley has a strong showing against the former president, who is popular within his party," Huffmon said in another press statement and in sync with Felkel.
"Since this was conducted before the disappointing midterm results, for which many Republicans blame Trump, her star may have risen even further."
