- California Gov. Newsom says he wants Nikki Haley to stay in the GOP primary
- Claims she is the Democrats' “best surrogate” because she makes similar statements about former President Donald Trump
- Comes after Haley said she wants to stay in the primary race despite the crushing loss in her home state of South Carolina
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants Nikki Haley to stay in the 2024 presidential primary because she is essentially a “surrogate” for Democrats.
After an embarrassing loss to Donald Trump in her home state's primary in South Carolina on Saturday, the former U.N. ambassador… Haley said she is sticking to her word and staying in the race through Super Tuesday.
Newsom said there was no chance Haley could win the Republican nomination against Trump after the former president won all four early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.
He said it was “incomprehensible” why Haley wanted to stay in the race, but was fine with it because it helped Democrats when a fellow Republican pointed out Trump's defeats.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he wants Nikki Haley to stay in the Republican primary because she is the “best surrogate” for Democrats who are making similar arguments about former President Donald Trump
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said in her speech after Saturday's primary that she wants to keep her word and stay in the race, even after a crushing defeat in her home state of South Carolina
“She makes points that I applaud every day about his temperament, his abilities and his development in real time,” Newsom told NBC Meet the Press host Kristen Welker on Sunday.
He added: “I think she's been incredibly effective and I hope she sticks around personally.”
Republicans believe Democrats are planning to run Newsom instead of President Joe Biden in the 2024 primary.
Newsom insists he has no plans to run for the White House this cycle – but Republicans aren't convinced he won't attend the Democratic nominating convention this summer.
He told NBC during his Sunday interview that any calls for him to enter the race were just “useless chatter” and a “sideshow.”
“It’s not even an interesting conversation,” he added, saying he’s “100%” ruling out the possibility.
A Republican candidate must collect 1,215 delegates in the primary to receive the GOP nomination. After Saturday's election, Trump has 107 delegates and Haley only 17. She lost 20 percent to Trump in a state where she was once governor.
“I don’t know why Democrats want her out of the race,” Gov. Newsom said, emphasizing, “She’s one of our better surrogates.”
“I mean, she defines the opposition to Trump incredibly effectively.”
Haley has repeatedly said she wants to stay in the race until Super Tuesday on March 5, when 15 states and American Samoa hold their Republican primaries. There are 874 Republican delegates up for election on this single election day.
“I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I will continue to run for president,” Haley said in her speech Saturday in Charleston.
“I am a woman of my word.” “I will not give up this fight if a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”
Just minutes after the polls closed in South Carolina at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Donald Trump delivered a victory speech — and didn't mention Haley's name once, instead focusing on the November general election
The South Carolina primary was called for Trump just seconds after the polls closed at 7 p.m. Saturday night.
Trump's victory speech from Columbia, South Carolina, began at 7:02 p.m. and did not mention his remaining rival once, as the former president shifts his strategies from the primaries to the November general election.
Trump said November 5, 2024 will be the “most important date in history.”
“Nine months is a long time,” he noted of the time remaining until the presidential election later this year. “I just wish we could do it faster.”
“You know, in certain countries you are allowed to set your election date,” he added. “If I had the right to do it, I would do it tomorrow. 'I would say we have elections tomorrow.'
Haley's defeat on Saturday marks the first time in more than 50 years that a Republican candidate has lost his home state primary. The predecessor was Richard Nixon, who lost the California primary to Ronald Reagan – who also came from California.