Last Saturday, former Gov. Nikki Haley lost the Republican primary in her home state of South Carolina to former and potentially future President Donald Trump by just over 20 points. And yet, just as she said weeks before, she's still staying in the race. Tuesday brings us the Michigan primary, with Super Tuesday coming next week. Haley has not only remained in the race, but her doing so is helping the Democrats and detracts from the general election, where Trump could potentially use all the help he can get. Especially telling on that front is that Democrats are pleased Haley will remain in the race.
We've covered before how Haley's supporters are Democrats. In the New Hampshire primary last month, most of her voters were not Republican. A poll released just before the Iowa caucus out of that state showed how her supporters would go for President Joe Biden over Trump. But in this case, we're talking about how Democrats like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. James Clyburn of her state of South Carolina are eager for Haley to remain in the race, which should set off plenty of alarms.
Every time Newsom has been suggested as a name to replace Biden on the ticket in November, he's come out more strongly in favor of the president, and against Republicans, at least if we're talking about when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in the race.
Newsom appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday, where he continued to espouse his support for Biden and Democratic policy issues. He also appeared on CNN on Friday to talk with Jake Tapper where he gushed over Haley in the race, not even bothering to answer Tapper's direct question about whether Haley was considered easier for Biden to beat than Trump in the general election.
"First of all, I think she's one of our better surrogates. So I hope she stays in. I hope she does well tomorrow," Newsom said about Haley ahead of the South Carolina question, despite that in no way answering the question.
He only praised Haley more from there, especially as Tapper pointed out we're seeing "all the nasty stuff about Trump" from Haley.
"She's spot on, 99 percent of it. So I'm enjoying enjoying this primary and I hope it continues. So I wish her luck," Newsom said. He went on to acknowledge that "Trump's the nominee. We all know that. You know that. Everybody out there knows that. And I think the polls are suggesting she's going to get walloped tomorrow, and then she'll make a case, I guess, just to continue in this," but still also emphasized, "But again, I have no problem her continuing for as long as she wishes because I think she's making a good case against Trump."
The exchange was noted by Vivek Ramaswamy, once a Republican primary opponent, who reposted a clip from the News Nomad account. Ramaswamy, who had some rather viral moments going at it with Haley during the RNC debates, is now a top surrogate for Trump and a possible contender for Trump's running mate, especially if CPAC attendees have anything to say about it.
Ramaswamy in his post referred to the tactic from Newsom as the "game plan... hiding in plain sight," noting "it's not even hiding" anymore.
Gavin Newsom about Nikki Haley: “she’s one of our better surrogates.” The game plan has been hiding in plain sight. Now it’s not even hiding. https://t.co/TaQa8atseU
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 24, 2024
It's worth noting that Tapper continued to ask the question, also noting that "head-to-head polls suggest that [Haley] would clean Biden's clock and it's a tougher race." Newsom instead stuck to his narrative of how Trump is the nominee. Such a talking point makes it even more clear that he and Democrats are delighted Haley is still in the race because it helps Biden.
RealClearPolling shows that Haley has a lead of +4.9 against Biden, with 45 percent support to his 40.1 percent. But, Trump also leads Biden, albeit by a smaller margin of +2.1, with 47 percent support to Biden's 44.9 percent.
What Clyburn has to say about the race is always of note. The 83-year-old has been around in politics forever, first getting elected in 1992. He also played quite a role in Biden winning the nomination for 2020. Before he won South Carolina with Clyburn's endorsement, Biden had lost the early nominating states of Iowa and New Hampshire, coming in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
South Carolina has been rewarded by Biden and the DNC, as it was made the first primary, where Biden handily won on February 3.
Like Newsom, Clyburn is a top surrogate for Biden, especially this time around when he's had to constantly answer questions about concerns of whether Biden still has the support from key demographics.
On Saturday night, after Haley lost South Carolina, Clyburn told Tapper, "I believe Nikki Haley should stay in the race," which drew plenty of replies.
So democrats are rooting for @NikkiHaley
— Kentucky Whig Party (@KYWhig) February 25, 2024
As much as he applauds Haley being in the race, even Newsom knows Trump is the nominee. As we go through more primaries and get closer to the RNC in July and the general election in November, it's worth wondering when or even if Haley will support Trump to work to beat Biden, or, as she repeatedly insists, Vice President Kamala Harris if/when she's at the top of the ticket. All these are tactics we'd expect to see much earlier in the primary, or even from a general election opponent. And again, Newsom and Clyburn's support for her says it all. Haley was reminded during her appearance last week on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that she signed a pledge to support the nominee, and couldn't give a straight answer as to if she actually would.
All are telling signs as Trump is expected to beat Haley in Michigan, with a recent poll from Emerson College/The Hill showing Trump with 69 percent to Haley's 20 percent. When the 11 percent of undecided voters are accounted for, Trump's lead increases to 76 percent to Haley's 24 percent. From there, Trump leads in the 15 Super Tuesday states and territories. Trump currently has a lead of +62.2 over Haley overall for the nomination.