Nikki Haley back in running-mate spotlight

Nikki Haley was not expected to speak and was considered a remote chance of being picked as Mr Trump’s running mate, well behind frontrunners JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum.

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. Picture: AFP

The woman Donald Trump once dubbed “birdbrain”, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, has emerged as a last-minute speaker at the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, prompting speculation the former president might surprise pundits by picking her as his vice-­presidential running mate as a show of unity.

In the wake of the assassination attempt on Mr Trump, his former UN ambassador Ms Haley, who fought a bitter, losing primary ­battle with him earlier this year, has become a late addition to the speaker list at the four-day nominating convention set to start in Wisconsin on Tuesday AEST.

Ms Haley, 52, was not expected to speak at the event and was considered a remote chance of being picked as Mr Trump’s running mate, being thought to be well behind frontrunners Ohio senator JD Vance, Florida senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Florida senator Marco Rubio. Picture: Getty Images

A few days before the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, Ms Haley appeared to seek to reconcile with Mr Trump, ­releasing the 97 Republican delegates she had amassed during the Republican primaries (compared with Mr Trump’s 2268) so they could vote for Mr Trump.

After dropping out of the primaries in March, she said she wouldn’t vote for Mr Trump but in late May conceded she would.

“The nominating convention is a time for Republican unity,” she said in a statement in the wake of Joe Biden’s debate performance that triggered speculation the President was on track to lose against Mr Trump in November.

“Joe Biden is not competent to serve a second term, and Kamala Harris would be a disaster for America.” Mr Trump’s attitude to his former cabinet colleague, who consistently won around 20 per cent support among Republicans in the primaries she contested, has waxed and waned since their clash in the primaries in New Hampshire and Iowa.

“You know, there was a lot of bad blood there, and she stayed too long,” Mr Trump said last week, when asked about her prospects.

“She was being soundly defeated in every place, but she just wouldn’t leave … She should have left right after Iowa”.

A few weeks earlier he had extended an olive branch to Ms Haley, suggesting she would have a role in his administration.

Mr Trump, who last week said he expected to make his VP announcement early in the convention, has frequently kept Republicans guessing over who he would choose, a ­selection that matters more than usual, given Mr Trump’s age, 78, and inability constitutionally to seek a third presidential term.

Ohio senator JD Vance. Picture: Getty Images

A day before the Pennsylvania shooting, Senator Vance, the 39-year-old former best-selling author, was the bookies’ favourite, surging ahead of previous favourites including Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Ms Haley is controversial within the MAGA base, considered too close to the Washington establishment.