Nikki Haley’s supporters ponder pondering their new vote: for Donald Trump or Joe Biden?
A critical new battle has erupted between Donald Trump and Joe Biden to win over supporters of Nikki Haley, knowing that this group could potentially decide the US presidential election in November.
Within minutes of Haley withdrawing from the Republican presidential race after heavy defeats in the Super Tuesday primaries, both Trump and Biden pleaded with her supporters to join them.
In primary races across the country so far, Haley has averaged roughly between a quarter and one third of the Republican vote, a not insignificant amount.
These are Republicans who for whatever reason chose not to support Trump and who felt strongly enough about it to make the journey to the voting booths.
Trump needs to secure the majority of these Haley supporters to defeat Biden in November. He cannot afford to have a divided Republican Party. A proportion of these Haley supporters are likely to back Trump on the grounds that although he was not their preferred candidate, he is a Republican and that is still a better option for conservatives than Biden.
But a proportion of these voters are also Never-Trumpers and will be willing to vote for Biden rather than cast a vote which would help Trump win a second term.
And then there is the danger for Trump, that many of Haley’s supporters decide they can’t stomach either candidate and simply don’t bother voting in November.
Haley is an old-style ‘Reagan Republican’ who believes in global engagement, free trade and fiscal conservatism rather than Trump’s populist MAGA movement. For some Haley supporters, the differences in policy and style between her and Trump may be difficult to bridge even though they are from the same party.
What no-one knows for sure is in what direction the bulk of Haley supporters will now move.
A recent poll from Quinnipac University found that about half of pro-Republican voters who supported Haley would vote for Trump while 37 per cent would vote for Biden. Twelve per cent said they would not vote at all or had not yet made up their mind.
Trump’s ability to woo Haley voters may depend in part on how he treats Haley, who he derided throughout the campaign as ‘birdbrain.’
When Trump asked Haley’s supporters to join him as she withdrew from the race Wednesday (US time) he could not resist a parting shot at her.
“Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont, and various other Republican Primaries,” Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to the only state which Haley won. “I’d like to thank my family, friends, and the Great Republican Party for helping me to produce, by far, the most successful Super Tuesday in HISTORY, and would further like to invite all of the Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation,” Trump said.
Joe Biden also joined the race to win over Haley supporters, releasing a statement only minutes after she announced her withdrawal, claiming that Trump did not like Haley supporters.
“Nikki Haley was willing to speak the truth about Trump: about the chaos that always follows him, about his inability to see right from wrong, about his cowering before Vladimir Putin,” Biden said.
“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign. I know there is a lot we won’t agree on. But on the fundamental issues of preserving American democracy, on standing up for the rule of law, on treating each other with decency and dignity and respect, on preserving NATO and standing up to America’s adversaries, I hope and believe we can find common ground.”
For now, Haley is not directing her voters in any direction. She has declined to endorse Trump and says voters need to make up their own minds and that Trump needs to ‘earn’ their vote.
The battle to win the hearts and minds – and the vote – of Haley’s Republicans promises to be a titanic struggle.
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