2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has responded to a deadly Iran-backed militia attack in Jordan, discussing the UNRWA controversy and commenting on her run for office. In a surprising move, Haley’s campaign has released a new digital and video effort titled “Grumpy Old Men,” taking aim at both President Biden and former President Trump. The campaign refers to the potential rematch between the two leaders as the “rematch no one wants,” citing public opinion polling that indicates a majority of Americans are not enthused about the prospect.
Haley, a former two-term South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration, has positioned herself as a “new generational leader” who can steer the Republican Party into the future. She has criticized both Biden and Trump for their age and potential signs of cognitive decline, as well as their campaign schedules and their perceived responsibility for high inflation in recent years.
The campaign’s focus on the age and mental abilities of the two leaders has drawn attention, with Haley calling for mental competency tests for candidates who are 75 or older, including both the incumbent president and former president. While Haley’s criticisms of Biden are not surprising, her increased criticisms of Trump in recent days have raised eyebrows. She has accused Trump of appearing “confused” and described his attacks on her as “totally unhinged.”
However, Haley’s campaign may face challenges in gaining support from the Republican primary electorate, which tends to be older than the overall voting population. Longtime Republican strategist David Kochel noted that while Haley’s message may resonate with the general election context, its effectiveness within the primary electorate remains to be seen. Despite this, Haley remains determined to stay in the race at least through Super Tuesday in early March.
With Trump’s double-digit wins in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, he is currently in the lead to win the Republican nomination. Haley’s aim is to slow Trump’s momentum in her home state of South Carolina, which holds the next major contest in the GOP schedule on February 24. A super PAC aligned with Haley has launched an ad in South Carolina that criticizes Trump’s age, echoing Haley’s message that “the first party to retire its 80-year-old candidate is going to be the party that wins this election.”
While some experts believe Haley’s message could resonate with voters who are tired of the Biden-Trump rivalry, others caution that it may not be enough to defeat Trump in the primary. Only time will tell if Haley’s campaign strategy proves successful in challenging the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
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