With the suspension of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign, Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor, has emerged as the sole Republican contender against Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination. This development could potentially delay the unofficial commencement of President Joe Biden’s general election campaign.
The Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee have been closely monitoring Haley’s performance in the Republican race since she announced her candidacy nearly a year ago. As the Republican field narrows, some Democrats speculate that Haley may be the only candidate capable of defeating Trump.
With only Haley and Trump competing in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, some Democrats hope for a swift Trump nomination, allowing the Biden campaign to focus its efforts on the former president. Haley, however, has shown a strong edge against Biden in some polls, positioning herself as the best candidate to defeat the incumbent Democrat in the November election.
“The sooner they can make it about Trump, and Nikki Haley falls away, that’s going to be a successful moment for the campaign,” said a senior Democrat in close touch with the campaign. This strategy aims to eliminate any ambiguity about Biden’s general election rival and engage voters who are still not paying close attention to the campaign.
Despite the speculation, the Biden campaign remains prepared to run against any GOP candidate, including Haley. A Biden-Haley face-off would require a fresh strategy to define the former United Nations ambassador, focusing on her staunch anti-abortion views and her controversial bill limiting abortions in South Carolina.
Haley has attempted to group Biden and Trump together, criticizing both as “equally bad” and arguing for younger leadership. The Biden campaign is also closely monitoring Haley’s fundraising performance following these early contests.
One recent misstep by Haley, failing to acknowledge slavery as a cause of the Civil War, has drawn criticism from Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden, speaking at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this month, stated unequivocally, “Slavery was the cause of the Civil War. There is no negotiation about that.”
For now, Biden is primarily focusing his political attacks on Trump, accusing his predecessor of being a threat to democracy and orchestrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Despite this, Biden’s campaign has faced criticism for not being forceful enough in going after Trump. As Biden ramps up his attacks, the challenge lies in convincing voters to pay attention.