Nikki Haley urges Trump to stop complaining about Kamala Harris

Nikki Haley has spoken out, urging Donald Trump to stop complaining about the possibility of Kamala Harris succeeding Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee, stating that it could lead to a loss in the upcoming election.

Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump’s administration, has found herself at odds with the ex-president after announcing her own bid for the Republican presidential nomination this year. During an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News, she emphasized that Trump should shift his focus from identity politics to more significant policy questions.

Haley expressed that she has long predicted Harris would take Biden’s place on the Democratic ticket. “Republicans should not be surprised that we are now running against Kamala Harris. It was her all the time,” she remarked. She pointed out Biden’s apparent inability to handle the pressures of a presidential campaign, reinforcing her belief that Harris was the inevitable successor.

“There was no way Joe Biden, in the condition that we saw him, could take on the stresses of a presidential election,” Haley noted. She indicated that her repeated references to Harris during her own campaign were intentional since she recognized Harris as the candidate the Republicans would face.

Haley also urged her party to stop complaining about Harris, arguing that acknowledging her candidacy is essential. “Quit whining about her. We knew it was going to be her,” she stated confidently.

Addressing concerns within the conservative base regarding Harris’s lack of in-depth media interviews since her nomination, Haley commented, “You don’t need an interview from Kamala Harris. I take her at her word.”

She went on to declare the policies Harris allegedly supports, which include increasing taxes for households earning over $100,000, introducing a pharmaceutical tax, and allowing illegal immigrants the right to vote along with obtaining driver’s licenses. Additionally, Haley stated her stance on fracking, expressing that Harris aims to ban it, which would threaten countless jobs in the U.S.

Despite the belief among some Republicans that Harris deserves blame for the immigration crisis at the southern border, Haley maintained that the party should be cautious, especially given that Republicans had previously blocked a proposed border bill at Trump’s behest.

In her broader message to Trump, with whom she continues to have a complicated relationship despite ultimately endorsing him, Haley encouraged him to abandon discussions about crowd sizes. “I want this campaign to win,” she asserted. “But the campaign is not going to win talking about crowd sizes. It’s not going to win talking about what race Kamala Harris is. It’s not going to win talking about whether she is dumb. You can’t win on those things.”

Haley insisted that the campaign must concentrate on the main issues that matter to voters, particularly suburban women, college-educated individuals, independents, and conservative Democrats. “This is a winnable election, but you need to focus,” she emphasized.

Haley is not alone in her advice to Trump regarding strategy. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy echoed her sentiments on Fox News, advising Trump to stop fixating on crowd sizes and instead question Harris’s record as California attorney general and her responsibilities as the border czar.

In recent weeks, Trump has faced a challenging transition as Harris’s political profile has risen alongside her candidacy. Her ascent in the polls has prompted a surge in enthusiasm from the public, contrasting sharply with Trump’s dwindling momentum since the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this past July.

His responses to these shifts have involved vocal complaints regarding what he perceives as unfairness, which he has expressed through posts on Truth Social and during an erratic press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Republican strategists have raised concerns about Trump’s struggles with “message discipline” during this critical time, noting his reduced campaign energy and fewer rallies, which stand in contrast to his previous more vigorous campaigning style.

As the election approaches, the dynamics between Trump, Haley, and Harris will continue to evolve, making it increasingly important for Republican leaders to strategically position themselves to address the changing political landscape.

Source: Various news sources