Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has entered the race for the Republican presidential nomination. The announcement was made through a video recorded by the candidate herself on Tuesday (13).
“Washington has failed us time and again. It’s time for a new generation of leadership to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, and strengthen our country, our pride, and our purpose,” Haley said in the video.
Former president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, she was first elected to the South Carolina House in 2004. Six years later, she became the first woman elected governor of the state in 2010 and was the youngest governor in the country when she took office in 2011. She resigned midway through her second term to become Trump’s ambassador to the UN—a position she held until the end of 2018.
Haley is likely to face strong competition from other potential Republican candidates, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who are said to be weighing their candidacies for 2024.
Some Republican strategists say a crowded field in the Republican primaries could be advantageous for Trump, who still enjoys significant support among the party base, and could fragment the vote, allowing the former president to emerge with the nomination.
If successful in the primaries, Haley would be the first woman and the first Asian American nominated by the Republican Party for president. Born in South Carolina, she is the daughter of Indian immigrants.