Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes
OREM — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has yet to defeat former President Donald Trump in any of the early voting primary states, but the portion of the GOP vote she has earned is evidence that a significant — albeit a minority — group of Republican voters is still not ready to back Trump.
That's the case Haley made to the KSL and Deseret News editorial boards Wednesday morning, ahead of a scheduled rally in Orem. Haley has staked her ongoing campaign for the Republican nomination, in part on the belief that she would give the party better odds of unseating incumbent President Joe Biden.
She has also cast herself as a new generation of politician, in contrast to Biden and Trump — who will both exceed 80 years of age by the end of the next presidential term.
"I strongly believe that we can do better than two 80-year-old candidates running for president," Haley said. "I strongly believe this is either about going with the same thing we've always done or going in a new direction, and I strongly believe we have to have a new generation of leader that leaves the negativity and the baggage behind and moves forward."
In addition to having major stakes for the future of the country, the 2024 primary election will go a long way toward shaping the future of the Republican Party, according to Haley, who criticized Trump for not stopping "the wasteful spending" in Washington and for "literally siding with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, saying that he'll encourage Putin to invade our allies."
"He's going to side with a dictator who kills his political opponents," she said. "He's going to side with a tyrant that takes American journalists and holds them hostage, who has made no bones about the fact that he wants to destroy America."
With that said, she said she doesn't judge his voters for siding with him, noting that she voted for Trump twice.
"They feel like ... he fought for them and now they feel like they're fighting back," she said.
But Haley implied the direction of the party under Trump's leadership is unsustainable, comparing it to a sinking ship.
"That's a ship with a hole," she said. "We can either see the hole for what it is and take the life raft, or we'll go down with the sinking ship."
Haley's support in the Beehive State
Prior to her rally, Haley's campaign released a list of endorsements from dozens of Utah elected and community leaders. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson — a member of Haley's leadership team in the state — introduced the candidate while state Sens. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, and Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, joined a group of supporters on stage behind Haley in Concert Hall at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts at Utah Valley University.
"I think the vision that Nikki brings to Utah is incredibly important," McKell told KSL.com after the rally. "I am confident that voters are going to turn out for Nikki. This place was packed, we had an overflow, and I couldn't be more proud of the supporters that were here today supporting Nikki Haley."
"It was very inspiring, this was the best part of my day," said Weiler, before heading back to the Capitol for the Utah Legislature's final few days in session.
Hundreds of Haley supporters packed the concert hall, and hundreds more filled an overflow room down the hall. Ranging in age from students to older adults, many in the audience leaned conservative but expressed dissatisfaction with the current path of the Republican party under Trump.
Herriman resident John Pugliano described himself as "an unwilling Republican" who "begrudgingly" voted for Trump in previous years, but said he doesn't feel represented by the current iteration of either party. He plans to vote in Tuesday's caucus and said the driving motivation is looking for alternatives to the former president.
"I won't vote for Trump a third time," he said. "I think a lot of people I know are tired of Trump, but they hate Biden. ... You can quote me on this: There are 360 million people in America and we have to choose between Trump and Biden. That tells you that the system is broken."
Taylor Oliver, a student from Lehi, voted for Utah independent Evan McMullin in 2016 and Biden in 2020 but feels the president hasn't been as moderate as he appeared in the campaign.
"(Haley) is genuinely conservative — Trump pretends to be conservative — and Biden is not as moderate as he says he would be," said Oliver, who plans to vote for Haley next week.
As if anticipating Haley's concerns about the changing GOP, Rick Soulier, a longtime supporter of Republican candidates like Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole, said he is also worried about the future of the conservative movement. Prior to landing on Haley, he said he also considered supporting former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, perhaps the most vocal Trump critic in the field of more than a dozen candidates at one point.
"He was a fairly good governor of New Jersey for a start, but he was utterly against what Trump had done," Soulier said. "I'm concerned about the Republican Party. It used to be anti-communist and now it's becoming more and more authoritarian."
In addition to concerns about the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection, Soulier said he's troubled by Trump followers who "seem inordinately fond of Putin," who he said presents a danger to Europe.
When asked if Haley has a chance to win the nomination, Oliver said: "I don't, frankly, which is sad, but I'm still going to vote for her. ... I wish she did but I'll still cast my ballot to show that there's at least one person who doesn't like the two people who are the front-runners of their parties."
Pugliano was a bit more hopeful about the former governor's chances.
"I'm cynically optimistic," he said.
The stakes for Nikki Haley
Haley was polling in the low single digits at this time a year ago, trailing Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence.
Although Haley has outlasted 12 other GOP challengers and earned nearly 40% of the vote in her home state of South Carolina on Saturday, the former governor and United Nations ambassador is running out of time to unseat Trump as the front-runner — and is turning in part to Utah Republicans to help.
Haley has vowed to stay in the race through at least March 5, or Super Tuesday, when nearly a third of all delegates — including Utah's — will be awarded. Her Wednesday rally at Utah Valley University in Orem is a chance to hold the spotlight in a race that is already being billed as a 2020 rematch, according to Ally Isom, a former Senate candidate from Utah and member of Haley's leadership team in the state.
"This isn't just about the next election, it's about the future of our economy and the future of our world," Isom told KSL.com on Tuesday, noting Haley would be eligible to serve for an additional term, giving Republicans the incumbent advantage in 2028 if she won. "Donald Trump has sown chaos for years, and he has lost Republicans elections in 2020 and 2022. ... I think it's time to reclaim Republican principles and unite as a party."
Isom said the media's focus on Trump has made it hard for Haley to break through with many voters, but thinks hers is a message that will resonate with traditional conservatives in Utah.
"I think she's on message for so many Americans who want an end to the divisiveness in our nation, and I think that she offers a solid grounding in policy and conservative principle and seasoned leadership," she said. "(Haley) adds to it a temperament that we're desperately in need of as a country that welcomes political engagement and dialogue with civility."
"I very much hope that so many of us who find Thanksgiving uncomfortable because of the way politics has divided our families can return to family gatherings without this hanging over us," Isom added with a laugh.
'We don't anoint kings': Defying Trump, Nikki Haley pledges to continue campaign
Republican candidate Nikki Haley pledged to press ahead with her long-shot presidential bid on Tuesday, saying "we don't anoint kings in this country" and that she had no intention of dropping out after Saturday's nominating contest in South Carolina.Haley lost to Trump in her home state of South Carolina by 20 points on Saturday and trails the former president in delegates won 110 to 20. The loss in her home state is hardly a good sign for Haley, but shows a significant portion of the Republican electorate remains skeptical of renominating Trump.
Utah's presidential caucus votes won't give Haley enough delegates to overtake Trump even if she wins, but Isom is optimistic an alternative Republican option will help energize disaffected conservatives.
"We've watched Utahns and voters disengage over the years out of frustration," she said. "I think it's a win for Utah when people show up, because they've been chased out. I want them to reengage — that's a win-win."
The Utah Republican Party has opted to hold a presidential preference poll at its caucus meetings across the state on Tuesday, rather than a traditional primary. Here's a guide for those who want to participate.
