Ahead of the South Carolina primary, Gov. Nikki Haley endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in what was seen as a pretty big get at the time. Now that Rubio has suspended his campaign, Haley has switched up who she's supporting: she's now backing Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Nikki Haley backs Ted Cruz https://t.co/KVDH0Y0y06 | AP Photo pic.twitter.com/PQbdFpZrWz
— POLITICO (@politico) March 16, 2016
While Haley declined to formally endorse Cruz, she said that she wanted to see him as the party's nominee.
"I thought that Marco Rubio was and is an amazing public servant. I think that he really tapped into so much of what people want in terms of the American dream," Haley told reporters in Columbia, according to a video. "I think he had a lot of knowledge in terms of what they had to do, but it obviously wasn’t his time. You know the only thing I can say now is my hope and my prayer is that Sen. Cruz can come through this and that he can really get to where he needs to go."
Haley declined to say whether she would formally endorse Cruz, remarking, "I don't know that that part matters."
"If anybody asks me, that's what I want to see happen," she said.
Haley's name has been listed as a potential running mate ever since her speech following the massacre of nine churchgoers in Charleston. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.