During a recent appearance on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley made a bold promise, asserting her commitment to “make America normal again.” In the course of the interview, she attributed the chaos at home and abroad over the past eight years to both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, positioning herself as the candidate who could steer the nation in a different direction.
Haley, responding to Hewitt’s question about her belief that she could defeat Biden in a general election while Trump could not, confidently stated, “the first thing we have to understand is Trump cannot beat Biden in an election. That’s a fact. We know that.” Expanding on her argument, she pointed to Trump’s performance in key states like Iowa and New Hampshire, emphasizing his struggle to win over independents, a crucial demographic in any general election. She highlighted Trump’s difficulty with suburban women and noted that he had alienated some Republicans with his style. According to Haley, the majority of Americans disapprove of both Trump and Biden, blaming them for amassing trillions of dollars in debt that future generations will bear. She questioned the wisdom of limiting the choices to two septuagenarians and insisted that the country could do better.
Look at Iowa. Look at New Hampshire. He doesn’t win independents. No one can win a general election if you don’t have independents. He doesn’t win suburban women. He has lost some Republicans who don’t like his style. Not only that, 75% of Americans say they don’t want a rematch between Biden and Trump. The majority of Americans disapprove of Trump and disapprove of Biden. Both of thnikkiese men put us trillions of dollars in debt that our kids are never going to forgive us for. And are we really going to say that our only choice is to have two guys in their 80s? We can do better than that. You look at all those general election polls. He does not beat Biden. You look at those same general election polls I’m in: I defeat Biden by up to 17 points.
Referencing general election polls, Haley confidently claimed that she outperformed Trump in matchups against Biden, boasting a lead of up to 17 points. Hewitt probed further, asking if she expected her argument to resonate with GOP primary voters. In response, Haley expressed confidence that her message had already found traction among undecided voters in states like New Hampshire and Iowa. According to her, the primary desire among voters is to “make America normal again,” a sentiment she believes is crucial for winning the general election.
Haley did not shy away from criticizing Trump, citing his electoral losses in 2018, 2020, and 2022. She questioned the rationale behind a potential fourth attempt, emphasizing the need for a fresh approach. While acknowledging her past support for Trump, she framed her decision as a pragmatic one, driven by a concern for the future her children would inherit. Haley concluded by asserting her determination to put in a solid eight years to set the country back on track, framing herself as the candidate who could offer a departure from the chaos she attributed to the previous administrations.
