Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump are in fierce competition to court the supporters of Nikki Haley, a demographic that could significantly influence the outcome of the upcoming presidential race.
Haley’s departure from the Republican presidential nomination race on Wednesday left a crucial segment of voters up for grabs. While not endorsing Trump, she emphasized the need for him to “earn” the support of those who didn’t initially back him.
Nearly 570,000 voters across pivotal battleground states, including Nevada, North Carolina, and Michigan, cast their ballots for Haley in the Republican primary, a group that could wield considerable influence given the razor-thin margins in recent elections.
Both Biden and Trump wasted no time in appealing to Haley’s supporters. Biden praised her for “speaking the truth” about Trump, while Trump touted his victory over her in the Super Tuesday Republican contest and invited her supporters to join his “greatest movement.”
Despite Trump’s past disparagement of Haley, including the use of sexist and racist language, and the doubts among her supporters about their place in the Republican Party, experts believe most will eventually align with their regular party.
While some Haley voters may lean Democrat, there’s little precedent for them to automatically switch sides in a general election. Political strategists anticipate efforts from anti-Trump groups to sway Haley supporters towards Biden, focusing on key issues like abortion rights and foreign policy failures under Trump.
As the battle intensifies, both candidates are expected to vie aggressively for Haley’s supporters, recognizing their potential to tip the scales in their favor come November.
