For an alternate viewpoint, see “Counterpoint: Nikki, They Hardly Know Ye.”
In a few weeks, the 2024 election season will officially commence when the Iowa Caucus takes place. As of now, former president Donald Trump has a commanding lead in the Hawkeye State polls. However, Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor, remains a viable candidate and definitely can beat President Biden in November.
Based on the Real Clear Politics Average, Haley is beating Biden by 5.8 percent. By contrast, Trump holds a slim 2.2 percent edge over the president. Moreover, Haley’s “favorable” versus “unfavorable” spread of minus 0.7 percent is the slimmest among all of the candidates left in the race. For context, Biden has a minus 15.8 percent spread, Trump boasts a minus 15.2 percent spread, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a minus 14.2 percent spread.
Polling aside, Haley’s strong record as the governor of South Carolina demonstrates she has the domestic policy chops to be a successful president, especially given the problems the nation is facing.
Haley is a fiscal hawk who has criticized Republicans and Democrats for running trillion-dollar deficits in recent years. On the campaign trail, she has vowed to end profligate federal spending, which she rightfully points out is akin to generational theft. To stop the spending and borrowing madness, Haley promised to implement commonsense spending reforms such as reducing the federal budget back to pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, her record as governor from 2011 to 2017 shows she has the experience necessary to turn around a sinking economic ship.
On other issues at the top of voters’ list of concerns, Haley also has a track record of success. As governor, she was a vocal proponent of school choice, Second Amendment rights, a strong and secure Southern border, ethics reforms, increased transparency, election integrity, and federalism.
Haley also has ample foreign policy experience as a former ambassador to the United Nations. While serving in this significant position, she took a hardline stance on adversarial nations, implemented many long-overdue reforms to the U.N., defended U.S. allies like Israel, and was a consistent advocate for human rights.
Haley is also a leader who is unafraid to ruffle feathers and stand up for her beliefs. Her response to the tragic shooting in which a White supremacist killed nine Black people at the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston in 2015 proves she can unite people during a time of crisis.
Of course, this is not to say that Haley is flawless. In fact, I do not agree with her 100 percent of the time on all policy issues. However, as a former resident of South Carolina who lived in the state during her time as governor, I know that she is a leader capable of finding common ground and bringing people together.
As we approach the 2024 election, it is evident that our nation is more divided than at any point in recent history. Under these circumstances, it is imperative that our next president be someone who can overcome our political and cultural differences. Yet, this is far easier said than done.
Unfortunately, too many recent presidents have failed to unite the country. When Biden took the oath of office, he promised to put partisan differences aside and govern as a moderate. To date, he has failed to fulfill this promise. Likewise, Trump was incapable of uniting the country.
The United States is in a precarious position. The American people are struggling to make ends meet, the Southern border is wide open, crime is rising, the fentanyl epidemic is getting worse, and it seems as if the world is on fire.
We need a firm but compassionate leader. We need someone who can overcome our differences. And we need someone who can solve our pressing problems.
Maybe Nikki Haley is the right person for this job. Maybe she isn’t. But she indeed is more than capable of becoming the 47th president of the United States.
