Nikki Haley’s Emotional “I’m Not Going Anywhere” Speech

Nikki Haley delivered a “State of the Race” speech today in South Carolina. Cut to the chase – she’s not getting out of the race. At least not now.

I’ve never heard of a State of the Race speech but I have to admit, it was a politically savvy thing for Haley to pull off. Trump supporters hoped this would be Haley’s moment to leave the race. Not certain what she would say, cable news networks took the speech. She delivered a standard campaign speech with a little emotion to make it all the more interesting. 

Haley sounds like she is staying in the race through Super Tuesday. She said so in an interview with the Associated Press and she said the same during her speech Tuesday.

“Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote. I mean, this isn’t Russia. We don’t want someone to go in and just get 99% of the vote,” Haley told The Associated Press. “What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?”

She’s right, of course. There is no rush. Only three states have voted. Her home state of South Carolina will be the fourth state when it holds its Republican primary Saturday. The Democrats changed their primary schedule to help Joe Biden in the Democrat primary and they already had their primary. Biden won the primary with 96.2% of the vote. Surprise!  Biden likes a Soviet-style primary system. 

Haley will lose her state’s GOP primary, likely by about 30 points if polling is correct. Her speech reassured her supporters that she wasn’t going anywhere. She asked them to vote wisely. Trump should not expect a Soviet-style primary. 

“People have a right to have their voices heard, and they deserve a real choice,” Haley said on Tuesday. “Not a Soviet-style election where there’s only one candidate and gets 99% of the vote.

“We don’t anoint kings in this country,” she continued. “We have elections and Donald Trump of all people should know we don’t rig elections.”

I’ve watched Nikki Haley for many years in politics. I have never seen her get emotional as she did today when she began speaking about her husband.

Emotional moment for Nikki Haley discussing the military deployment of her husband serving in uniform overseas … pic.twitter.com/61SU0lZuOe

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) February 20, 2024

It took me by surprise. I think she may have done herself some good. She looked very human today, not so programmed. She still doesn’t have a path to victory and it likely will be a blowout on Saturday. Her speech today wasn’t meant for loyal Trump voters. It was meant to appeal to undecided voters and independent voters. 

Nikki Haley realizes she is in a no-win situation. She’s not stupid. She is staying in the primary race to keep her name out there and secure her place as the next-best candidate to run against Biden if something happens and Trump isn’t on the general election ballot. She notes that polling shows that she beats Biden if the polls are to be believed. 

I think she will stay in the primary as long as the money holds out. I’ve said that before and nothing has changed to make me think otherwise. 

The reality is that there is no beating Trump in the primary. He has won all three states so far and is on track to win all the states and gather the required number of delegates to wrap up the Republican nomination before the convention. 

Nikki Haley shouldn’t be criticized for letting the process play out. It’s good for the party, not bad. Trump has to get to 1215 delegates just like everyone else. Team Trump is getting antsy to merge the campaign with the RNC for that financial advantage.