Nikki Haley takes presidential campaign to Bloomington, tells supporters to ‘keep the faith’
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley brought the race for the White House to Minnesota on Monday as part of her barnstorming tour that will take her campaign to eight states this week ahead of Super Tuesday.
The former South Carolina governor has made it clear she intends to remain in the race despite a 20-point loss to former President Donald Trump in her home state over the weekend.
“We can do better than two 80-year-old candidates,” Haley said of Trump and President Joe Biden during her speech. “Don’t you think we need to put an accountant at the White House? We’ve got to get our economy back on track.”
Supporters lined up to hear from Haley at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bloomington and packed the room with signs showing support.
“She’s got a lot of stuff we agree with,” one supporter said. “We’re just keeping our fingers crossed.”
Haley outlined her platform points, calling the national debt too high. She promised to get the spending under control.
During her speech, she said she plans to crack down on illegal immigration, push for stronger national security and better care for veterans.
“It’s shameful how we treat our veterans,” Haley said.
She closed out the rally proclaiming: “If you will join me in this movement, if you will join me in this fight, I promise you, keep the faith, because our United States are yet to come.”
Despite Haley’s campaigning blitz, Trump’s campaign says at this point, the Republican primary is effectively over.
After her loss to Trump in the South Carolina primary, she lost a big donor — Americans for Prosperity Action, which is backed by billionaire Charles Koch.
A spokesperson for the group said, “We don’t believe any outside group can make a material difference to widen her path to victory.”
Year-end financial disclosures show Koch’s political fundraising committees have spent more than $50 million on legal fees related to Trump’s recent trials, but those legal troubles aren’t hurting him in the polls.
Sixty percent of Republicans surveyed in South Carolina said they believe Trump would still be fit to serve as president, even if he’s convicted of a crime.
He’s now the first non-incumbent Republican presidential candidate to sweep Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
While Haley is down in the race, some supporters are still holding out for a win.
“I’m a person who always goes for the underdog, so that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come and hear what she has to say,” said Ken Dandridge, who attended Haley’s rally Monday.
“We’re looking at different options because she might be like a tamer Trump,” another attendee said.
Haley’s campaign said it will spend at least a million dollars on campaign ads at least through next week in Super Tuesday states.
Minnesota will be one of 15 states and one U.S. territory to hold contests next Tuesday.