‘Who Cares What the RNC Says?’ Nikki Haley Campaign Blasts Attempt to Coronate Trump as Republican Nominee
UPDATE: The proposal at the Republican National Committee has been withdrawn.
Nikki Haley’s campaign dismissed the Republican National Committee’s attempts on Thursday to make former President Donald Trump the presumptive presidential nominee.
National Republican leaders and conservative pundits have called on the former South Carolina governor to drop out of the GOP primary and consolidate support around Trump following his victory in Iowa and New Hampshire.
However, Haley has vowed to continue her campaign with plans to run against the GOP frontrunner in the South Carolina primary set for Feb. 24.
According to NBC News, The RNC could declare the Trump the presumptive 2024 nominee by next week as it reviews a draft resolution anointing Trump the party’s candidate for November. RNC members could potentially vote on the matter next week at a conference meeting in Las Vegas.
The resolution reportedly states that “all evidence negates the possibility of a mathematical path forward to the 2024 Republican nomination by any candidate other than President Trump, our presumptive nominee.”
Meanwhile, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel noted her preference for the party to unite around Trump after his New Hampshire victory, adding that she does not see a path forward for Haley.
A spokesperson person for the Haley campaign dismissed the RNC’s attempts, adding that “millions of Republican voters” will determine the party’s nominee and “not a bunch of Washington insiders.”
“Who cares what the RNC says?” said Haley campaign spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas in a statement to The Dispatch. “We’ll let millions of Republican voters across the country decide who should be our party’s nominee, not a bunch of Washington insiders.”
She added, “If Ronna McDaniel wants to be helpful she can organize a debate in South Carolina, unless she’s also worried that Trump can’t handle being on the stage for 90 minutes with Nikki Haley.”
Trump currently holds a commanding lead in Haley’s home state of South Carolina with 52% on average support from Republican voters, according to Real Clear Politics.
