Nikki Haley Bows Out of GOP Presidential Race After Trump's Super Tuesday Success

Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, announced the end of her presidential campaign. After Super Tuesday's stumbles, a new direction was chosen. It effectively relinquishes the 2024 Republican nomination to Donald Trump. Haley delivered a three-minute speech in Charleston, South Carolina. In which she did not immediately endorse Trump, setting a different tone than most of his other Republican rivals who swiftly extended their support.

Following her resounding defeat in coast-to-coast Super Tuesday contests, Haley officially ended her presidential campaign on Wednesday, effectively handing Trump the Republican candidacy for 2024.

Unlike almost all of his previous Republican opponents, the former governor of South Carolina—who also served as Trump's UN ambassador and was the first well-known woman of color to run for the Republican presidential nomination—did not support the outgoing president right away. Rather, she called it Trump's "time for choosing" and pushed him to win over her supporters, as per Yahoo.

Leading up to their November rematch, Super Tuesday surveys showed that Trump and President Joe Biden were the frontrunners. Haley won in Vermont, shattering Trump's hopes of winning all states. But Trump won other states like Maine, Massachusetts, and Virginia that would have been helpful to her. Following Haley's withdrawal, Trump will be the final viable contender for the Republican candidacy in 2024.

Haley had promised to continue running as long as she remained "competitive" and to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday. But the Republican had no options in the future after Tuesday's outcome. "I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that," she declared on Wednesday, as per Guardian. "I have no regrets." Haley faced fake threats and was asked by some in her party to quit the presidential race.

Several Republican officials pushed Haley to concentrate on unifying around Trump even after she emerged victorious in the District of Columbia Republican primary. Haley has made it clear that she is not interested in running for office through a third party. "I have said many, many times I would not run as an independent. I would not run as no labels because I am a Republican and that's who I've always been," she stated on FOX News, Super Tuesday. 

The loss of the former governor of South Carolina is perceived as a setback for Republican Party officials, donors, and voters. All who disagree with Trump's ardent "Make America Great Again" policies. The moderate and college-educated voter bases, which are sure to be important in the general election, were especially fond of the Indian-American politician. It's unclear if Trump, who recently declared that supporters of Haley would never again be allowed to participate in his campaign, would be able to bring the divided party together in the end.