Nikki Haley has officially announced that she is running for president in 2024.
“Some people look at America and see vulnerability. The socialist left sees an opportunity to rewrite history. China and Russia are on the march. They all think we can be bullied — kicked around,” Haley said in her announcement video posted to Twitter on Tuesday.
“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,” she continued. “I’m Nikki Haley, and I’m running for president.”
Haley explained that, while some on the left have condemned America for its past — showing in the video clips of The 1619 Project, protests, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) delivering a speech — she believes that the United States is still a great nation.
“Even on our worst day, we are blessed to live in America,” she said, adding that she has seen “the best of our country” in South Carolina, where she served as governor from 2011 to 2017.
Reflections on her public service in South Carolina were a central element of her video announcement. She noted that, following the mass shooting in 2015 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, the people of South Carolina “turned away from fear, toward God and the values that still make our country the freest and greatest in the world.”
“We must turn in that direction again,” she continued. “Republicans have lost the popular vote in seven out of the last eight presidential elections. That has to change.”
Haley claimed that President Joe Biden’s record is “abysmal” and that “the Washington establishment” has continually “failed” the American people.
“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.
One of Dallas’ own City Councilmembers — Cara Mendelsohn of District 12 — was present at Haley’s first campaign rally in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday. Her attendance was noted on Twitter by Councilmember Adam Bazaldua.
Cara Mendelsohn | Image by C-SPAN
When asked about Haley’s official announcement, Roger Shafer, director of programming for the Dallas Young Republicans, reiterated comments he made to The Dallas Express when her candidacy was merely the subject of speculation.
“I’m skeptical of any candidate who prioritizes needless foreign involvement over the major concerns of our citizens,” Shafer said. “American standard of living has declined to a 40-year low, yet she mentions our top priority should be a post-Cold War adversary with a GDP smaller than Italy.”
“She’ll have a difficult time convincing GOP voters she deserves their support,” Shafer added. “Ultimately, I expect her entrance in the primary to be as uneventful as her exit.”
One person who does support Haley’s bid for the presidency, however, is U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), who formally endorsed her on Tuesday.
“The Republican Party has entered a season of change. We’re at a pivotal juncture, and most of the Republicans I know are now looking for new leadership with a new vision at the top of the ticket,” Norman told Fox News. “Nikki Haley has that vision, and she’s going to be an outstanding president.”
Haley previously served as President Trump’s first ambassador to the United Nations and said in April 2021 that she would not challenge him for president in 2024.
“I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it,” she told reporters. “That’s something that we will have a conversation about at some point.”
Trump announced his 2024 candidacy in November last year, meaning that he and Haley will presumably face off in the Republican primary election. No other candidates have announced to date.