Republican Nikki Haley announced Tuesday that she is running for president.
Ahead of a Wednesday event where Haley is expected to officially launch her campaign, the former South Carolina governor released a video announcing her campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“It’s time for a new generation of leadership to rediscover fiscal responsibility, secure our border, and strengthen our country, our pride, and our purpose,” Haley said.
Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, noted the Republican Party’s abysmal record in presidential elections, losing the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections.
She told voters that she hopes to change that.
“Some people look at America and see vulnerability. The socialist left sees an opportunity to rewrite history,” Haley said. “China and Russia are on the march. They all think we can be bullied. Kicked around. You should know this about me: I don’t put up with bullies. And when you kick back, it hurts them more if you’re wearing heels.”
Strong & Proudwww.youtube.com
Haley, the daughter of immigrants from India, also used her heritage to offer a vision of a united America — one where racial differences are not used to stoke division.
“I was the proud daughter of Indian immigrants — not black, not white. I was different,” she said of being a young girl. “My mom would always say your job is not to focus on the differences but the similarities. My parents reminded me and my siblings every day how blessed we were to live in America. Some look at our past as evidence that America’s founding principles are bad. They say the promise of freedom is just made up. Some think our ideas are not just wrong, but racist and evil. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Haley becomes the first major Republican to challenge former President Donald Trump, who announced his campaign last November.
Nationally popular, Haley is expected to mount a competitive challenge for the Republican nomination. Announcing early also gives her the benefit of reaching voters while the field remains uncrowded. Indeed, more than a dozen other Republicans are expected to run.
After her launch event on Feb. 15, Haley will hit the campaign trail in Iowa and New Hampshire, states where the eventual nominee will surely need to succeed.
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