After former President Donald Trump beat her in New Hampshire’s GOP primary race on Tuesday, there have been reinforced calls for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to drop out of the GOP presidential race. For many, Haley stepping out of the race would help the Republican Party focus its resources on defeating President Joe Biden.
Calls for Haley to quit her presidency bid got louder even before New Hampshire’s primary when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped his campaign on Sunday to endorse Trump.
Since Trump’s historic win in Iowa on Jan. 15, more top Republicans who have been neutral or even non-Trump supporters have endorsed him while calling for the consolidation of the GOP around him.
With the choice of the New Hampshire people now known, Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Tuesday that Haley should drop out and back Trump’s bid instead of going on to other states’ primaries.
Speaking on Fox News’ Channel’s Hampshire Primary coverage, she said, “Looking at the math and the path going forward and I don’t see it for Nicki Haley. I think she ran a great campaign. The message from the voters is clear. We need to unite around our eventual nominee which is going to be Donald Trump. We need to be sure we beat Joe Biden. It’s 10 months away until the November election. We can’t wait any longer to put our foot on the gas to beat the worst president who kept our borders opened and allowed fentanyl to pour through and allowed rampant inflation.”
House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) echoed McDaniel’s sentiments in a post to X, in which she wrote, “Nikki Haley must drop out so we can focus on defeating Joe Biden to Save America. The #TrumpTrain isn’t slowing down — President Trump will #SaveAmerica!!”
🚨 MASSIVE TRUMP VICTORY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 🚨
Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on your huge #Trump2024 New Hampshire Primary win! cc: @TeamTrump @DanScavino
Nikki Haley must drop out so we can focus on defeating Joe Biden to Save America.
The #TrumpTrain isn’t slowing down –… pic.twitter.com/TipM6NG2g2
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 24, 2024
Sen. Marco Rubio suggested that Haley’s insistence on holding on to her presidential bid would only lead to a waste of donor funds, as Trump will end up securing the party’s nomination.
“Trump will be the GOP nominee. What we don’t know yet is how much donor money is going to be wasted over the next month,” he tweeted.
Trump will be the GOP nominee
What we don’t know yet is how much donor money is going to be wasted over the next month
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 24, 2024
According to New York Times’ chief political analyst Nate Cohn, polling shows that Haley’s resignation is inevitable, adding that Trump “will secure the nomination in short order” given there is no monumental shift in the race.
