Nikki Haley says she'll vote for Trump in November
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Nikki Haley announces the suspension of her campaign on March 6 in Daniel Island, South Carolina. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images
Former UN Ambassador and GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday that she will vote for former President Trump in November, a shake-up to the 2024 race.
Why it matters: Haley's nod could give Trump a boost as he's repeatedly struggled to court her voters in recent GOP primaries, even after she suspended her presidential campaign.
- Haley has continued to draw about 20% in GOP primary contests, creating a warning sign for Trump's campaign.
- She also drew double-digit vote shares in key suburban counties in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Georgia, areas that could determine the election.
Driving the news: Haley said during a conversation at the Hudson Institute that Trump has not been "perfect" on a number of policies, but President Biden has been a "catastrophe."
- "I will be voting for Trump. Having said that, I stand by what I said in my suspension speech," she said.
- "Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me."
- The event marked Haley's first public remarks since suspending her presidential campaign in March.
Zoom in: Haley and Trump sharply criticized each other during their campaigns, and the pair still has a chilly relationship, Axios' Alex Thompson reported.
- Speaking at the Hudson Institute, she said, "It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him."
- Haley's comment echoes one she made in her speech to suspend her presidential campaign.
The big picture: Given Haley's strong standing among moderate Republicans and Republican-leaning independent voters, pressure over her decision to back a candidate in November had been rising.
- The Biden campaign has also tried to target Haley voters, including running digital ads inviting those in eight swing states to join his campaign.
What they're saying: "Nothing has changed for the millions of Republican voters who continue to cast their ballots against Donald Trump in the primaries and care deeply about the future of our democracy, standing strong with our allies against foreign adversaries, and working across the aisle to get things done for the American people," Biden-Harris communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement.
Go deeper: Trump protest vote warnings
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.
