Nikki Haley’s strategy is clear: Run out the clock on Trump

On Tuesday, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley delivered an anticipated speech where she said she would not drop out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination ahead of the primary in her home state.

In the speech, Haley attempted to lower expectations – given that she will almost certainly be blown out in the Palmetto state.

Polling currently shows Donald Trump beating her by double digits. And it’s no secret that losing a primary in their home state typically means death to a candidate’s campaign. Just ask Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump drubbed in Florida back in 2016.

Winning Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, like Trump has, usually signals that a candidate is guaranteed to become the Republican nominee. But Haley tried spinning that statistic and saying that the majority of voters simply did not vote.

Despite her best efforts, the fact is that Haley has put up poor performances in the early states. In Iowa, she posted a disappointing third place with Ron DeSantis inching past her, before he ultimately dropped out. And in Nevada, more voters chose “none of these candidates” instead of her. That is not a ringing endorsement. While a majority of voters have not voted, the party’s biggest devotees have shown they do not want her to be president.

Nonetheless, she is beginning a swing throughout the rest of the primary states. On the day of the South Carolina primary, she will visit Michigan, followed by Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina and Massachusetts. This comes after she’s already traveled to California and Texas. She’s already on the air in Michigan running an ad saying President Joe Biden is too old and calling for mental competency tests.

But the