Nikki Haley ended her long-shot challenge to Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on Wednesday, ensuring the former president will be the party’s candidate in a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden in November’s election. Haley, the former South Carolina governor and Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations when he was president, made the announcement in a speech in Charleston a day after Super Tuesday, when Trump beat her soundly in 14 of 15 Republican nominating contests.
“The time has now come to suspend my campaign,” Haley said. “I have no regrets.” She said it was likely Trump would be the Republican nominee but did not endorse him. “It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it,” she said. “And I hope he does that.” Drawing on her foreign policy experience at the UN, Haley said it was important to continue US global leadership. Throughout her campaign, Haley said the United States must help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, a position at odds with Trump.—Agencies
